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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26311105">Of Trials and Magic</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/crazyringo/pseuds/crazyringo'>crazyringo</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Little Witch Academia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Character changes for drama/irony's sake, F/F, F/M, Set during the 15-18th Century (Witch Trials Era), Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow To Update, The Sorcerer's Stone is not a thing (Not invented yet for the premises of this story), Timeline is set BEFORE The Golden Age of Magic, Wizards &amp; Witches can cast magic freely from their wands</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 10:40:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>58,505</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26311105</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/crazyringo/pseuds/crazyringo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Witches are supposed to be feared.”, a saying that reigns true and yet it holds no possible weight when witches are in hiding from Witch Hunts. Atsuko Kagari and Diana Cavendish begin their journey towards salvation as they find adventure, love, and most importantly someplace to belong</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Amanda O'Neill/Hannah England/Louis Blackwell, Barbara Parker/Andrew Hanbridge, Constanze Amalie von Braunschbank Albrechtsberger/Surprise Love Interest, Diana Cavendish/Atsuko "Akko" Kagari, Diana Cavendish/Atsuko "Akko" Kagari/Andrew Hanbridge, Frank/Lotte Yanson, Hannah England/Amanda O'Neill, LWS Shopkeeper/OC, Ursula Callistis | Chariot du Nord/Croix Meridies</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>67</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. A Cry For Help</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I don't own Little Witch Academia or any of its characters. They rightfully belong to Trigger.</p><p>A/N: Hello everyone! Here's my other and very first project for Little Witch Academia, another AU at that. Please read the first chapter and I'll leave my rant/important notes for the AU at the end. Thanks for reading! :D</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The sun rose up on the horizon, signaling the roosters to caw on a brand new morning for Wedinburgh Village.</p>
<p>Diana saw the sunrise from the window of her study, marveling at its beauty for a moment before she was forced to tear her gaze away from the sight.</p>
<p>Today will be a busy day for she has a job to do.</p>
<p>Diana headed toward the nearest bookshelf, taking and shifting through various medical books she had at her disposal. Gathering the ones the young girl deemed important for the task at hand, Diana stepped away to walk toward her desk.</p>
<p>The blonde put away the books she'd be taking for the journey on her satchel bag as she planned to do a quick reading for the patient she'll be tending to later. Textbooks aside, inside the luggage were various medical tools and supplies that Diana would need for today.</p>
<p>Feeling satisfied that she had everything she needed, the heiress headed out of her study and into the hall of her home. When Diana opened the door, she was greeted by one of her servants.</p>
<p>"Good morning, Miss Cavendish." Her butler greeted her with a smile, bowing respectfully to his mistress. "I trust that you're ready to depart for our journey today."</p>
<p>The blonde returned the smile with one of her own. "Good morning to you too, Carter." She looked around for a bit, left and right for any signs of her aunt and cousins. "Did anyone see you?"</p>
<p>"No, milady. I woke up early before any of the other servants, Anna included." Carter responded, standing to his full impressive height. "I also took the liberty to pull up the carriage outside of the mansion grounds so that it would not be spotted before making my way over here." He added.</p>
<p>"Excellent," Diana made her way down the corridor with the old man following behind. "Now, let's leave before we get caught, or else everything will be for naught."</p>
<p>"Of course, milady."</p>
<p>The heiress and her butler headed down the stairs to the foyer of the mansion. It was quiet as the two of them put on their traveling cloaks, and when Diana was about to lay a hand on the front door handle...</p>
<p>"And, where do you think you're going this early in the morning?" Her aunt's voice broke through the silence, her haughty tone echoing in the empty halls of the mansion.</p>
<p>Diana's body visibly slumped in disappointment, sighing so. <b>So close...</b> She thought in vain.</p>
<p>Despite being caught red-handed, Carter leaned towards her and whispered, <em>"Do you wish to abort the plan, milady? I'll follow you regardless of what you decide."</em></p>
<p>At hearing this, the heiress smiled. She could always count on Carter, and Anna too. They were the only people she knew she could trust in the Cavendish household. Having supported Diana over the years for what was best in the family, in secrecy, of course, because the servants never dared to stand or speak up in any arguments between the Cavendishes.</p>
<p><em>"No,"</em> The blonde curtly answered, stubbornly thinking ahead despite the consequences. <em>"Everything will proceed as planned. Please, go outside and wait for me. I shouldn't be long."</em> She told him.</p>
<p>"As you wish, milady."</p>
<p>Without another word, Carter left through the front doors of the mansion, much to Aunt Daryl's ire.</p>
<p>"Where in blazes is he going?!" The elder Cavendish interrogated her niece.</p>
<p>Taking a deep breath, Diana finally acknowledged her aunt's presence and decided to face the music. Turning around, she finally saw the Proxy Head of the Cavendishes. Aunt Daryl stood at the top of the staircase, arms crossed and wearing elegant robes. Her face looked tired but menacing, and her hair was tied in a loose bun, a clear sign that she got out of bed recently.</p>
<p>Bracing herself with a polite smile, the heiress greeted her aunt, "Good morning to you too, Aunt Daryl. And don't mind Carter, he'll be accompanying me on a couple of errands today. We should be back by nightfall." She reassured the older woman.</p>
<p>"Where to this time?" The elder Cavendish looked displeased. Daryl's posture was impossibly stiff. Her face changed from exhausted to alert, her blue eyes narrowed, and finally, her lips pursed to a thin frown as she began to interrogate her niece, bombarding Diana with countless questions. "Glastonbury? Blytonbury? Or, some other village in the countryside?"</p>
<p>"Blytonbury, if you must know." Diana answered confidently, passing a hand through her blonde wavy mane. "The Parker Family requires my assistance." She informed.</p>
<p>This peaked Daryl's curiosity. "What for?"</p>
<p>"Her mother took a turn for the worse, and so, she personally requested for my help." The heiress responded, crossing her arms.</p>
<p>"Then, why not just make them travel to Wedinburgh?" Aunt Daryl gave a suggestion, obviously being stubborn on the subject. "You'll have all the resources at your disposal in the Cavendish Manor."</p>
<p>Diana frowned, scowling all the while. Her aunt could be so inconsiderate at times, and admittedly, Diana couldn't help but feel shame of being related to her on moments like these.</p>
<p>"What part of, <b>“</b><b>she took a turn for the worse”</b> did you not understand?" The heiress stressed, her temper ready to flare at any second. "The poor woman is not well enough to travel."</p>
<p>"Unfortunate, but that's not my problem."</p>
<p>"Aunt Daryl!"</p>
<p>"It's the truth! What good have they or anyone else have done for this family?!" The proxy head argued as her hands grasped the stair railing, clenching until her knuckles turned white. "The world is getting more dangerous by the day and we don't have the liberty to wave our wands and cast magic whenever we please!"</p>
<p>The blonde wasn't going to step down from this, not by a long shot. "Maybe so, but I can't just stand by and let people suffer! As long as we have the power to do good and help other people-"</p>
<p>"That kindness is going to get us killed." Aunt Daryl interrupted her niece as she stated a mere fact, her cold blue eyes glaring at the future heiress. "You need to realize that every day you go out of this mansion to help others is a practical death sentence to this family! People are getting accused left and right for doing witchcraft. It's just a matter of time before you get caught red-handed. These, <b>"good deeds"</b> will only be a farce to the rest of the townspeople, and I am willing to bet that they would stop at nothing to get rid of this family for personal gain!"</p>
<p>Diana merely sighed in frustration and turned her head away from her aunt, and subconsciously, she tightened her grip on her sleeves. Daryl wasn't wrong, neither of them in fact, but even so...</p>
<p>"That is not the Cavendish way. Mother, and most certainly Beatrix the Affectionate would be terribly upset if we just stopped helping others because of these circumstances..." Diana stated a sad truth herself, trying to reason with her aunt.</p>
<p>"Your mother, my sister..." Aunt Daryl's eyes softened, and her voice shook with grief, but only for a moment as her menacing scowl and composure returned. "Her recklessness was her undoing. That kindhearted fool. And as for Beatrix, she may be the founder of the Cavendish family, but that's ancient history and has deadly squat to do with what's happening now! Diana, I forbid you to leave the safety of this mansion! I won't let this foolery be this family's undoing!"</p>
<p>"Consider this conversation over." The blonde turned around to open the front doors of the manor. Before she left, Diana looked at her aunt one last time as she said, "I know you mean well, but I'm not like you. I am the rightful heir to this family, and as such, I will not stop helping others in fear of getting caught on a Witch Hunt."</p>
<p>And with that, Diana closed the front doors and left the mansion, leaving the proxy head alone in the foyer.</p>
<p>Thinking about the conversation once more, Daryl merely sighed while shaking her head. "Foolish girl..."</p><hr/>
<p>It was rather silent since the heiress and her butler left the Cavendish mansion. The only sounds being pages being turned, the carriage rattling along the road, and the horse in front giving no indication that it was tired as it trotted further along the way.</p>
<p>The weather was perfect for a day of travel, a bright sunny day with a couple of clouds spread out through the azure skies. Thanks to the sun's rays, Diana was able to get natural light to read her medical textbook with ease inside the carriage.</p>
<p>Carter merely kept his eyes on the road, making sure that they don't get lost or suddenly ambushed by mongrels. Every so often, the old man would look behind him, looking at his mistress through the carriage's window. The young girl's attention was glued to the informational text in front of her, though at the same time she seemed distracted.</p>
<p>Hoping to start a conversation and end this uneasy silence, Carter cleared his throat as he began to speak, "Milady, is everything alright?" He asked concerned.</p>
<p>"Hmm?" Diana finally looked up from her book, returning to reality once she processed her servant's question. "Yes, everything's fine, Carter."</p>
<p>"Forgive me for saying so milady, but it sure doesn't look like it to me." The old man responded earnestly.</p>
<p>The heiress sighed, gently closing her textbook. "Is it that obvious?" She inquired.</p>
<p>"Surely, starting the day arguing with a family member is a sure way to ruin one's day, no?" Carter stated rhetorically.</p>
<p>"Yes, I suppose."</p>
<p>A brief silence followed soon afterward, only for it to be broken by the butler once again, "You know that you're not wrong." He spoke up with his own opinion.</p>
<p>"That doesn't mean that my actions are correct either." Diana replied while she prompted her arm on the carriage's side window, leaning her head against her fist as she glanced at the moving landscape.</p>
<p>"Maybe so," Carter couldn't help but smile, looking up ever so briefly at the blue skies. "But, do you feel shame or accomplished on the actions you've taken?" He asked her.</p>
<p>"I don't even know if I did the right thing." The blonde answered honestly. "A part of me feels that Aunt Daryl is right, that I'm hindering the Cavendish Family's chances of survival through these trying times. She isn't wrong, and it's understandable about why she feels that way but... another part of me feels like I'm doing what a real Cavendish would do, putting others above my own well-being and help them through with as much affection as I can muster. Then again, compared to Beatrix the Affectionate and my own dear mother's feats... I can't help but feel like I am not meeting those expectations." Diana closed her eyes, sighing so, "I'm at a loss, Carter. I suppose time will tell."</p>
<p>Listening intently, the old man chuckled. "So young, so beautiful, so intelligent, and compassionate. Such a heavy burden of both duty and responsibility you have upon your shoulders..." He remarked. "If I may be frank milady, you have nothing to worry about. I'm sure that Lady Bernadette and Miss Beatrix are proud and appreciate your efforts, and so do I."</p>
<p>Diana smiled a bit, grateful for hearing her servant's words. "Thank you, Carter."</p>
<p>As soon as they finished their talk, the carriage stopped. The heiress looked at the window behind her to see that they stopped at a crossroad. A wooden sign stood tall in the middle of the road, the left sign read "Glastonbury" while the right sign read "Wells".</p>
<p>"Milady, aside from Blytonbury, is there anywhere else you would like to make a stop?" The old man asked.</p>
<p>"Take a left to Glastonbury." Diana responded, bringing her attention back to her medical textbook in her lap. "We'll pass through the village and quickly head to Blytonbury as fast as possible to visit the Parker Family. I don't want to keep Barbara waiting any longer than necessary."</p>
<p>"As you wish, milady."</p><hr/>
<p>The pair made it by noon and the horse trotted through the cobblestone streets of Blytonbury, hauling the Cavendish carriage behind it as it caught the attention of almost every bystander there was on the street.</p>
<p>It's not every day that you see a Cavendish, and for once, Diana was glad that she was inside the safety of the carriage so that she wouldn't have to deal with a huge batch of civilians. She just couldn't stand the thought of people hovering over her for attention.</p>
<p>The carriage went deeper into the city and into the outskirts of Blytonbury, stopping outside of the Parker Family manor. Barbara was already outside to greet them. Once Carter stopped the horse and Diana stepped out of the carriage, Barbara didn't waste any time in enveloping the heiress into a hug.</p>
<p>"Oh Diana, it's so good to see you!" The raven-haired girl gushed excitedly as she let go of her childhood friend. "Thank you for coming all this way. I hope that it wasn't a bother..."</p>
<p>"It was no trouble at all." Diana reassured, smiling in kind. She then asked, "How's your mother doing?"</p>
<p>"Not well I'm afraid..." Barbara's body visibly shrunk as anxiety was about to take hold of her. "She's been bedridden for almost a week. I'm worried about her..." She replied quietly.</p>
<p>"You need not worry. Will you take me to her?"</p>
<p>“Of course, Diana.” Barbara straightened up, leading the heiress inside the manor. "Please, follow me."</p>
<p>The girls walked through the foyer and up the stairs to the second floor of the mansion and as they went down the hall, the blonde decided to update herself to her patient's condition.</p>
<p>"Can you tell me what kind of symptoms your mother has been experiencing lately?" Diana asked, assuming the medical professional role she reserved for events such as this.</p>
<p>"Let's see..." The raven-haired noble brought a hand up to her chin in thought. "My mother has been feeling dizzy and more tired than usual, always blaming it on a headache. She's been telling me that her eyes have been giving her problems too, like, they're in pain and sometimes her vision is partially blurry."</p>
<p>"Sensitive to lights, perhaps?" The blonde suggested, to which Barbara confirmed with a nod. "By the sound of it, her condition must be a severe case of a migraine."</p>
<p>Barbara stopped walking, and so did Diana. The raven-haired girl clasped her hands together while she gave the heiress a worried look, and that stare alone was enough to tell Diana what she wanted to say.</p>
<p>The blonde laid a hand on her friend's shoulder. "It's alright, Barbara. Your mother will be fine under my care, I promise." She reassured with utmost confidence.</p>
<p>"Thank you, Diana..."</p>
<p>Soon after their exchange, the girls made it to the master bedroom. The room was dark and dimly lit by a lone candle from the bedside table near a large bed. Upon hearing the door to the bedroom open, an older woman slowly turned her head toward the sound, opening her tired teal eyes to look at her visitors.</p>
<p>"Barbara, sweetheart, is that you?" The girl's mother called out to her child uncertainly, squinting her eyes a bit to get a better look.</p>
<p>Hurriedly, Barbara headed over to the large bed, kneeling down and grabbing hold of her mother's hand. "Yes, it's me, mother. I've brought some help, Diana is here."</p>
<p>"Miss Cavendish?" The woman's eyes widened in surprise, sitting up a bit in bed. "Here?" She questioned.</p>
<p>Diana stepped forward, gently easing the noblewoman to lie down on the soft mattress. "Yes, Mrs. Parker, I'll be here to take care of you. Barbara has already filled me in on the details."</p>
<p>"Bless the nine..." The raven-haired woman sighed in relief, closing her eyes. "Well then, Miss Cavendish, I'll entrust my health to you."</p>
<p>The heiress pulled up a chair by the corner of the room and settled her satchel bag on the floor, starting to rummage through her things.</p>
<p><b>Though, by the sounds of her condition, I might have to use magic for this...</b> Diana thought, already deciding on her next course of action. "Barbara, can you please fetch me a rag and a bucket of water?" She kindly asked her friend.</p>
<p>The raven-haired girl seemed to have been startled from the sudden command, but she didn't waste time to do her friend's request. "Y-yes Diana, right away!"</p>
<p>Hours passed as Diana continued her medical work, eventually finishing up with a cooling spell to reduce the swelling on the woman's cranium. Satisfied with her work, the heiress soaked the rag on the water bucket, got rid of the excess water and gently laid the cloth on the woman's forehead.</p>
<p>As soon as she finished with that, Diana packed her things and headed out of the master bedroom.</p>
<p>Barbara was outside of the master bedroom, pacing nervously back and forth on the corridor while patiently waiting for Diana's return. Upon hearing the door close, the raven-haired girl confronted her childhood friend.</p>
<p>"Oh Diana, thank goodness! I-is my mother going to be alright?" Barbara asked anxiously in concern, fidgeting with her hands.</p>
<p>"Your mother will make a quick recovery." The blonde smiled in reassurance, and she then began to give the noble a set of instructions, "Just be sure that she gets lots of bed rest and avoid alcohol, caffeine, and naps before bedtime. Follow my instructions to the letter and I guarantee that your mother will be fresh as a daisy in no time."</p>
<p>The young girl's shoulders slumped in relief, bringing her childhood friend into a sudden embrace. "Thank you Diana, thank you so much! You don't know how much this really means to me!" She said in gratitude.</p>
<p>"It was no trouble at all, Barbara." Diana responded rather awkwardly, patting her friend's back every so often. She definitely wasn't expecting a hug. "I couldn't just ignore you and leave you in suspense. If anything changes in your mother's condition, please don't be afraid to send me a letter."</p>
<p>Barbara let go of her. "Yes, thank you again. I know it couldn't have been easy to travel here, with your aunt and all..." She muttered.</p>
<p>"Let Aunt Daryl huff and puff all she wants. Unfortunately for her, this matter was important to me and I could not just leave it unattended. Speaking of my aunt... What time is it now?" The heiress asked.</p>
<p>"A quarter to four, it'll be dark soon."</p>
<p>"I shall take my leave then, I have a couple more errands to do in Blytonbury before I head back to Wedinburgh."</p>
<p>"Oh, then let me accompany you on the way out! It's the least I could do." Barbara offered, leading Diana down the hallway.</p>
<p>"I appreciate it."</p>
<p>The girls headed outside the Parker Family manor and walked toward the Cavendish carriage. Carter was already prepared to head out on the road, awaiting his mistress' next orders. The childhood friends bid each other farewell, and Diana left the residence along with her butler.</p><hr/>
<p>Normally, the trip back home would be quiet, consisting of Diana looking past the carriage window to see the shifting trees and meadows. In this ride back, however, her widened eyes fell on something she was not expecting to see.</p>
<p>"Stop the carriage!" Diana yelled as Carter called a halt to his horse.</p>
<p>It was an abrupt order, so the horse took a moment to register it. Diana, however, scrambled past the lurching of the vehicle, throwing the door open and jumping towards the source of her interest.</p>
<p>"Are you all right?!"</p>
<p>Of course, the person wasn't all right, but Diana needed to know if she was conscious enough to hear her. The stranger had her back to her, presenting the wound on her upper shoulder that still had the arrow buried into the flesh. When she turned to look at Diana, the blonde noticed she had a heavy gash on her right temple.</p>
<p>Diana took her silence as answer enough, especially once she saw the girl's red eyes look at her with a mix of pleading and desperation. Without a second thought, she threw the girl's arm over her shoulder, pulling her towards the carriage, or at least tried to until Diana heard her hiss in pain. When she looked down, she noticed blood running down the girl's leg.</p>
<p><b>By the nine... How long had she been walking with those injuries?</b> Diana wondered. Then again, she probably doesn't even want to imagine the horrible pain the poor girl must be in. "Carter!"</p>
<p>"Yes, Miss Cavendish!" The old man hurried to her side, his eyes widening in shock as he stopped in his tracks. "Oh my, those wounds look severe..."</p>
<p>"Please, help me carry her inside the carriage. I won't let this girl walk another step." The heiress ordered.</p>
<p>"As you wish, milady."</p>
<p>Those words seemed to be of salvation as the stranger took it as her cue to let her knees give out from under her and collapse to the ground, not that Diana let her. The blonde lunched forward in time to catch the girl before she even hit the ground.</p>
<p>Diana looked down at the stranger, noticing that she had fainted straight away. The girl looked pale and felt warm to the touch. Very warm. "We have to hurry, Carter. We haven't much time." She spoke with urgency.</p>
<p>"Yes, Miss Cavendish."</p>
<p>Surely when they arrive to the Cavendish manor, Aunt Daryl will undoubtedly explode in outrage for bringing an outsider into the premises, but at this point and time, Diana could care less about the consequences because right now... this girl needed her help.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A/N2: And, that's pretty much it for chapter 1 folks! Now, before we go any further, let me just lay some notes for this particular AU...</p>
<p>Number 1 – With the first chapter and the summary stating the obvious, this story is about the Witch Trials era, which happened roughly throughout the 15-18th century. Throughout December of 2018, I've been thinking of making my own version of it featuring Akko and the others, and with that in mind, I'll try my best to add some stuff from the series as we go to make the plot more interesting.</p>
<p>Number 2 – The timeline for this story is BEFORE The Golden Age of Magic! Furthermore, the Sorcerer's Stone is not a thing, or more like it has not been invented yet for the premises of this AU. Witches and Wizards in this universe can cast magic freely from their wands.</p>
<p>Number 3 – Some if not the majority of the characters will relatively act the same, but with slight differences for drama/irony's sake. You guys will know who they are as you read along.</p>
<p>Number 4 – Yes, there will be romance for this story, except the pace for them will be SLOW BURN! The main ships are Dianakko (Obviously, with Andrew being added for a little love triangle humor/drama), Hannamanda, Ursula Callistis|Chariot du Nord and Croix Meredies will be mostly referenced throughout the story, and Lofran (Lotte &amp; Frank). And finally, Constanze is going to experience some romance herself, though I won't reveal with who just yet.</p>
<p>Number 5 – Overall, the flow of the story is going to start off slow. Diana and Akko not withstanding, Amanda and the others are not going to start making appearances 'till chapters 5 and above. The plot for this AU will/should start picking up at around chapters 10 and above. I mostly have this story planned out, I just need to work out a couple of details here and there, and actually WRITE THEM DOWN, which can be difficult for me to come up with words sometimes. Just giving you guys a heads up on that.</p>
<p>Number 6 – Updates... For the most part, the story/chapters are pretty much planned out (note-wise), and I decided to update whenever I feel ready to do so for the sole purpose of managing my writing/inspiration and give myself breaks here and there. There are literally two scenarios: The first being that I update as much as I can, or the second I am either having a terrible case of Writer's Block and/or I'm busy with important life matters. It sucks, I know, but that's how things are.</p>
<p>And, I think that's it for now... What do you guys think? Do you love it? Hate it? Tell me on your comments! I would love to know what you guys think! Kudos and bookmarking this story will also help too, and that will also make me happy! I will also like to give a HUGE shout out to AevumAce! If it weren't for her, I wouldn't be able to do this project at all. I am so lucky and thankful that she agreed to help me by being my Beta Reader and helping me expand with my notes/ideas for this story! Until next time! X3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Stranger Dilemma</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I don't own Little Witch Academia or any of its characters. They rightfully belong to Trigger.</p>
<p>A/N: Hello, my lovelies! I would like to thank those of you who left a comment, they were wonderful to read, and I also appreciate the kudos that this story managed to get in a surprisingly short amount of time! Thank you very much! It makes me so happy to know that I'm getting a lot of support for this project! And finally, I'll shut up and let you guys enjoy chapter 2! :D</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Diana and Carter arrived at the Cavendish mansion by nightfall. They didn't waste time getting out of the carriage and they practically barged through the front doors of the manor, effectively startling a couple of servants who were cleaning the foyer.</p>
<p>"Make way, we have wounded!" The heiress hollered demandingly, assuming the medical role for the second time today.</p>
<p>The maids didn't even dare to question Diana's orders as they started to disperse, though one maid in particular stayed.</p>
<p>"Milady," Anna approached them before gasping, her eyes widening once her gaze fell upon the stranger in Carter's arms. "Good heavens! Is she alive?!" She asked them in concern.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, before Diana could even explain the situation to the head maid, the commotion attracted unwanted guests...</p>
<p>"EW!" Maril squealed, her face scrunching up in disgust once she arrived at the scene.</p>
<p>"Seriously?" Merril said incredulously while crossing her arms. "You go in town and instead of bringing us souvenirs, you decided to bring a half-dead street rat into our home!"</p>
<p>Diana had to resist the urge to not roll her eyes at her cousins, they could be insufferable at times...</p>
<p>"What's all the commotion about?" Aunt Daryl's voice could be heard throughout the foyer, catching the attention of everyone present.</p>
<p><b>Great, just what I needed...</b> The heiress thought sarcastically to herself. She then turned her attention to her butler. "Carter, start heading upstairs with Anna. Update her on what's going on and try your best to keep our guest stable and comfortable. I'll be there shortly." She ordered.</p>
<p>The sooner Carter and Anna went upstairs with their guest, the better it will be for Diana. She could head upstairs as well and take care of her patient, but it still won't change the fact that she'll get an earful from Daryl. Preferably, Diana would like this inevitable conversation to be over sooner rather than later.</p>
<p>"Of course, Miss Cavendish." The old man nodded in understanding, heading up the stairs to the second floor of the manor. "Anna, could you please follow me? I require your assistance."</p>
<p>Anna straightened up, regaining her composure as she followed the orders she was given. "Yes, right away!"</p>
<p>Once the servants left, Aunt Daryl finally made it to the premises from the living room. The proxy head looked up just in time to see Carter and Anna turn the corner upstairs.</p>
<p>"Oh mother, you should've seen it!" Maril commented dramatically, catching her mother's attention.</p>
<p>A scowl settled on Daryl's features, her voice holding an icy tone as she asked, "Seen what?"</p>
<p>"Diana brought a peasant home." Merril answered as she and her twin sent knowing sneers toward their cousin.</p>
<p><b>Here we go...</b> Diana sighed inwardly as she stood her ground, waiting for the verbal onslaught to begin.</p>
<p>The elder Cavendish practically exploded from hearing the news. “You. Did. WHAT?!”</p>
<p>"I can explain-" The heiress began, only to be interrupted by her aunt soon after.</p>
<p>The proxy head seethed in anger, having her arms crossed. "Why on earth would you bring a commoner here?!" She yelled, clearly demanding an answer.</p>
<p>"If you had let me finish...!" Diana growled. She hated being interrupted. Once she regained her composure, the young Cavendish began to explain, "After I finished my business in Blytonbury, I spotted the girl walking, or limping I should say, on the side of the road. I told Carter to stop the carriage and asked her if she was alright..." She trailed off a bit, remembering the desperate, pleading look the stranger gave her at the time. "What was I supposed to do? I couldn't leave her in the condition she was in, I couldn't live with myself if I did such a thing..."</p>
<p>The elder Cavendish wasn't swayed by the heiress' words. "You wouldn't, but I would."</p>
<p>"Aunt Daryl!" Diana couldn't believe what she had just heard. "A Cavendish would never-"</p>
<p>"This is more than just being a Cavendish, you foolish, foolish girl!" Daryl interrupted her niece for the second time this evening. She put her right hand on her hip and with her left she pointed a finger near Diana's face, like almost any parent would when reprimanding their child. "You've brought an <b>OUTSIDER</b> into the sanctuary of <b>OUR</b> home! A stranger that could easily ruin our way of life from the inside-"</p>
<p>"You don't know that!" The heiress argued, finally losing her patience with her aunt.</p>
<p>"I don't know that, hmm?" Aunt Daryl sounded amused, but her face said otherwise. "Is she even a villager from around these parts?" She questioned her niece.</p>
<p>Diana took a deep breath, releasing it through her nose soon afterward. "I don't know."</p>
<p>Maril hid a laugh from the back of her hand. "Now, that's sad! Bringing a total stranger into our home without even knowing her name or where she even hails from!" She mocked.</p>
<p>"For all we know, she could be a petty thief or maybe... an assassin!" Merril threw accusations of her own, making her cousin's case all the more difficult.</p>
<p>"What difference does that make? She had no weapons on her person." The heiress answered calmly. She and Carter had checked the stranger beforehand. Calm, cool, and collected as ever, Diana passed a hand through her wavy tresses. "Besides, wasn't it Beatrix the Affectionate's belief to help others in need? Friend or Foe? If so, then why do you have the right to condemn me for my actions when I am solely following her teachings as my dear mother once did?"</p>
<p>The Cavendish twins were about to have a rebuttal for their cousin, until...</p>
<p>"That's enough, my darlings. Clearly, our words won't be enough to get through to your cousin." The proxy head called off her daughters with a dismissive hand, a small but confident smile graced her features. Whatever that smile had in stored for Diana almost made the young girl quiver in fear.</p>
<p>Daryl let her icy cold eyes gaze upon the future heiress. "If you insist on using our family's traditions and ideals to build your case, then that's fine, <em><b>however...</b></em>" She drawled out that particular word before continuing, "Keep these three things in mind: The first is that my daughters and I will absolutely have no responsibility over this girl, she will be <b>YOUR</b> responsibility. The second being whatever consequences she brings with her by staying here will also be your problem, not ours. And lastly, for my third and final rule for this <b>"agreement"</b>, you may heal the girl's wounds but without the aid of magic."</p>
<p><b>No magic?</b> Diana thought in momentary confusion.</p>
<p>Seeing the question in her niece's eyes, Aunt Daryl voiced her response, "You said so yourself, <b>'she had no weapons on her person'</b>, which could also mean she is not in possession of a wand. Therefore, I want you to proceed with caution. If that girl were to catch you doing witchcraft and expose our secret to the townspeople, the consequences will be damning for the Cavendish Family. Are we clear?"</p>
<p>"Crystal clear." The blonde responded evenly, maintaining eye contact with the elder Cavendish.</p>
<p>"Good," Daryl nodded in satisfaction. "You may go to your patient."</p>
<p>As soon as she was permitted to leave, Diana headed upstairs to meet up with Anna and Carter. The proxy head along with her twin daughters still remained at the foyer.</p>
<p>Daryl brought a hand up to massage her temple, feeling a headache coming on. The silence was deafening until her children couldn't bear it anymore...</p>
<p>"Mother," Maril called out to her parent. "Why do you let Diana do as she please?" She asked.</p>
<p>Merril rolled her eyes at the mention of their cousin. "Especially, since this little charade of hers might go down in flames, taking us down along with it." She added.</p>
<p>"There is something you both need to understand about your cousin." Aunt Daryl began, "She is a lot like your beloved Aunt Bernadette. She was beautiful, caring, intelligent, not to mention she was stubborn as a mule. Don't get me wrong, I admired and loved my older sister with every fiber of my being, but there was something that I couldn't tolerate from her... it was her kindness." She chuckled a bit, but it held no humor in it. "People would come from miles around in desperation, pleading for that woman's help. And believe me, she helped, she helped until her own health was the least of her concerns. Bernadette helped everyone whenever she could, but nobody could help her in the end... That kindhearted fool."</p>
<p>Her daughters remained silent as they listened to their mother, and the elder Cavendish took their silence as her cue to continue, "And, her daughter is the same. It may not look like it now, but sooner or later your cousin is going to realize for herself that kindness has its limits in this world. People nowadays are too busy preoccupying themselves with their own survival rather than assist others. That's just the way things are. Mark my words: One of these days, that outsider will stir up trouble, and when she does... your cousin would have no choice but to get caught in the middle of it."</p>
<hr/>
<p>When Diana made it upstairs, she hurriedly walked toward the end of the hall. It wasn't long until she spotted Carter standing by the doorway of one of the guest rooms.</p>
<p>"How's our patient faring?" The heiress asked her butler.</p>
<p>Carter's face looked grim, concerned even. "I merely carried her into the guest room and let Anna take care of the girl's injuries. Otherwise, I was patiently waiting for your arrival, milady." He responded.</p>
<p>"I see. Thank you for everything, Carter." Diana smiled in gratitude. "You may retire for the night, if you wish."</p>
<p>"I might just take you up on that offer." The butler chuckled tiredly, bowing to his mistress. "Goodnight, Miss Cavendish."</p>
<p>"Goodnight, Carter."</p>
<p>As soon as the old man departed for the night, the blonde entered the guest room. It was a bit dark, but the room was dimly lit with a couple of candles by the bedside table. Anna was tending to the young girl, who still seemed to be unconscious.</p>
<p>"I'm terribly sorry for being late, Anna." Diana apologized as she made her presence known for the head maid.</p>
<p>The older woman turned to look at her mistress and started reassuring her, "It's no trouble at all, milady. I'm glad that you made it back safely from your trip." She said with a warm smile.</p>
<p>"Thank you, Anna." The heiress neared the bed, taking a closer look at their patient.</p>
<p>Even though she was asleep, the poor girl's face was scrunched up in pain, a clear sign that even on the deepest of respites there wouldn't be any salvation from her injuries. The red-eyed girl was laying on her left side as to not disturb the arrow embedded in her right shoulder. Aside from that particular wound, the girl's left leg looked worse in comparison. It was swollen and all bruised up. Her skin was ripped open by the shin and Diana could see the broken bone daring itself to stick out if someone would move the leg by the slightest of movements.</p>
<p><b>It's rather impressive that she managed to walk as far as she did, given her condition. No sane person wouldn't have done nor dared to do what she did...</b> The heiress thought as she closed her eyes while shaking her head, trying her best to suppress a shiver going down her spine.</p>
<p>"Any improvement on her condition? Has she woken up at all when you and Carter brought her up here?" Diana asked.</p>
<p>"Not much, I'm afraid." Anna lamented to inform. "The poor girl is burning up. I managed to take care of her minor injuries, though I couldn't dare myself to tend to the major ones. Those will require your expertise, milady."</p>
<p>"Then, let us prepare for surgery. I'll need rags, bandages, belts, a water bucket, and my surgical tools." Diana listed off the items she needed, beginning to tie her hair up in a loose ponytail. She wouldn't want it getting in the way during the operation.</p>
<p>The head maid nodded in understanding. "Yes, of course, right away Miss Cavendish."</p>
<p>As soon as she was given her orders, Anna left the guestroom to search for the supplies. The heiress neared the bed and she sat beside her patient, contemplating whether or not to wake her up, but no matter how much she thought about it... the answer itself was clear.</p>
<p><b>Like it or not, she has to-</b> Diana shook her head. <b>No, she NEEDS to wake up! </b>Diana wouldn't want her to go into shock during surgery.</p>
<p>After making up her mind, the blonde tried her best to wake the girl. It took a bit, but the brunette finally opened her eyes, and despite the horrible pain the poor girl must be in, Diana was relieved to see that those red eyes haven't lost their shine.</p>
<p><b>No lackluster eyes, that's a good sign.</b> The heiress thought with a small smile, her slight fear diminished due to her confirmation. "Hey there, can you hear me?" She softly asked the girl.</p>
<p>A small nod was all Diana received.</p>
<p>"It's okay, you're safe now." The blonde reassured. "I'm a doctor and I'm going to perform surgery on you, but in order for it to go smoothly... I need you to stay awake. No matter how tempting it is, you can't fall asleep. Do you understand?"</p>
<p>The red-eyed girl answered with a low but audible, "...Y-es."</p>
<p>"Good. My assistant will be back shortly with supplies, and then we can begin with the operation."</p>
<p>"W...at's...ur...ame?"</p>
<p>Diana tilted her head in confusion, "Pardon?"</p>
<p>The brunette seemed to struggle a bit with her words, licking her dry lips and swallowing heavily as she did so. Though hoarse, she finally managed to voice out the purpose of her earlier question, "...Name?"</p>
<p>"Ah yes, of course. I suppose proper introductions are in order." The heiress brought a hand up to her chest as a gesture to introduce herself. "My name is Diana Cavendish, and you are...?" She trailed off a bit to encourage the stranger to speak.</p>
<p>Despite the pain she was currently in, the girl chuckled. "...Atsuko Kagari, but you can call me Akko."</p>
<p>"It's nice to meet you, Akko." Diana smiled. Her smile disappeared soon after as her concern took over, "Are you feeling alright? Are you experiencing any discomfort?" She asked the girl.</p>
<p>"...My leg hurts, my shoulder too..." Akko closed her eyes for a moment before opening them again. "I just want to rest..."</p>
<p>The blonde gently tucked away a strand of hair behind the girl's ear. "Just a bit more, and I'll let you rest to your heart's content. I promise."</p>
<p>"Thank you, Diana..."</p>
<p>Soon after their exchange, Anna had finally returned with a small cart filled with the supplies Diana had requested. "I have returned, milady."</p>
<p>"Excellent." The heiress rose up from the mattress, heading towards the cart to grab clean gloves and gather the tools she needed for the operation. "Let's get started with the surgery, shall we?"</p>
<hr/>
<p>Diana sighed heavily as she continued to wash her hands in the sink. It took several hours but the operation was a success. A church bell rung somewhere in the distance, signaling the townspeople of Wedinburgh that it was midnight.</p>
<p>“I can't believe it's that late already.” The heiress commented quietly, trying her best to suppress a yawn while drying her hands with a hand towel, but to no avail a small yawn escaped through her lips. She was exhausted, that much was obvious, but Diana knows that there isn't time to rest. Not quite yet anyway.</p>
<p>Once she finished cleaning up, Diana left the bathroom and headed towards her study. She neared her desk, which was full with various vials, medicines, and notes involving her continuous medical research.</p>
<p>Research that her dear mother left behind... An analysis that her daughter will continue to work on in her stead. Diana shuffled through a couple of the bottles until she found the exact one she was looking for.</p>
<p><b>This one should be able to help Akko.</b> The blonde thought to herself as she inspected the vial closely.</p>
<p>Soon after that, Diana went to the kitchen to get a cup of water and she poured and mixed the medicine into it. When she finished her task, the heiress headed upstairs to meet up with her patient.</p>
<p>It was just the two of them at the moment. Anna had already departed for the night, at Diana's insistence after reassuring the head maid that she had everything under control.</p>
<p>Entering the guest room, the heiress could immediately tell that Akko was struggling to remain awake.</p>
<p>As soon as the surgery was over, the poor girl was trying her best to cling to a fading consciousness. From what Akko told her, the pain seemed to spiral up and down her left leg in a nauseating rhythm. Her right shoulder wasn't better off either, and the red-eyed girl didn't even dare to move a muscle because of it.</p>
<p>When she neared the bed, Diana gently brushed her hand against the girl's cheek. Akko closed her eyes as she fought against the onslaught of agony, only focusing on the comfort the sudden contact brought.</p>
<p>“Still with me?” Diana quietly asked her.</p>
<p>The brunette struggled to open her eyes, but when she did, she looked into the beautiful blue eyes of her savior. Akko opened her mouth to try and speak, but no words came to her aid. So instead, she settled with a blink, hoping that Diana would understand. The heiress reached out again, gently cradling the brunette's head and lifted it with great care.</p>
<p>Moments later, Akko felt the cold edge of a molded clay cup brush against her lips. “Drink.” Diana urged. “It will ease the pain and help you sleep.”</p>
<p>While she was a bit hesitant to drink the medicine, the red-eyed girl knew better than to argue with the young doctor. After Akko drank it all, her body shuddered while her face morphed into a disgusted grimace, sticking her tongue out in exaggeration from the bitter drink.</p>
<p>The blonde couldn't help but giggle at what she just witnessed. “I know it's bitter, but I promise that it will help you feel better.” She reassured, gently easing the girl's head back on the pillow.</p>
<p>Akko merely responded with a scowl and a small pout at first, but as soon as her head touched the pillow, the brunette felt the effects of the medicine start to kick in. She felt her muscles beginning to relax and her eyelids were starting to feel heavy with exhaustion.</p>
<p>The last thing Akko remembered before she surrendered to slumber was Diana tucking her in...</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A/N2: BAM! That's the entirety of chapter two folks! There really isn't anything of worth to explain in terms of this chapter since everything seems to be pretty straightforward, but if any of you have any questions, whether it's curiosity for future chapters or otherwise, please don't be afraid to leave a comment. Though, I'm sure some of you are wondering why the heck Akko doesn't seem to have a wand in her possession... All I can say for that is, STAY TUNED for chapter 3!</p>
<p>Please, let me know what you guys thought about this chapter. I always love reading your comments and they always make my day, and kudos along with possible bookmarks are welcome too. I'll appreciate the support all the same. Until next time! XD</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Kindness</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I don't own Little Witch Academia or any of its characters. They rightfully belong to Trigger.</p>
<p>A/N: Hello again, my lovelies! I'm back again with a brand new chapter! I would like to thank everyone who took the time to read and leave a comment, and the same thing goes for those of you who left kudos and a bookmark as well. Now, that's enough about me, and I hope you enjoy the chapter. :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Every part of her body ached. She couldn't focus on much else as she leaned against the wall of the home she happened upon. The most prominent ache was in her legs, primarily in the left ankle. It might have a twist.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>But can she afford to rest? Even now, she can hear the sounds of angry people from the distance, and it kept her body riled up in anticipation for a possible ambush. She couldn't stand still for too long; she needed to rest but now wasn't the time.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>With a grunt, she pushed herself off the wall, wincing every time she put her foot down. Tears were beginning to run down her cheeks as she quickly thought of her options of safety and escape.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Akko never saw it coming.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>One moment, she was helping her mother by carrying boxes of vegetables into the house. She talked to her mother about this and that, whatever it was that she had been interested at the time.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>In the next moment, a fire burst from the fire pit, the flames quickly consuming the nearby wood planks. She recalled her mother shrieking behind her, trying to pull her out of the house.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>But she didn't do it.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Akko held out her hands, and a sudden well of... she can only describe as a </em>
  <strong>power</strong>
  <em> left her hand, reaching towards the fire and putting it out, just like that. It happened so quickly that she couldn't properly react to it.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>What she specifically recalls from that night was turning back to her mom, an intense mixture of relief, confusion, and concern blooming inside her... and meeting her mother's horrified face.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>When Akko tried inquiring her mother about it, the older woman harshly shrugged her hands and kept away. Once her father got home, the situation didn't get any better.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>People surrounded their home, having seen the smoke and fire from a distance. Her father embraced her mother, most likely told what had transpired as he held his wife in his arms. When Akko tried to do the same, her father sent her the harshest look she'd ever received from him.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>And from there, some of the people outside came inside, holding sticks and pitchforks and bearing down on her...</em>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>Akko's eyes snapped open, wide and alert, followed by a sudden gasp of air as the brunette swiftly sat up in bed. An action that she, of course, soon regretted upon waking up. Her right shoulder throbbed with a dull ache, and Akko remained painfully still as she felt a line of fire rip through her left leg. She closed her eyes and bit her lip as to not cry out in wails of agony.</p>
<p>Slowly, the red-eyed girl carefully eased herself to lay back on the mattress, breathing heavily and feeling sweat break out on her forehead.</p>
<p><strong>I...shouldn't have done that...!</strong> She thought with a wince, bringing up her left hand to gently massage her injured shoulder.</p>
<p>Now that pain had her wide awake, Akko finally opened her eyes again and took a look around her surroundings. She appeared to be in a guest room, a nice one at that, and just by looking at some of the decorations in this room alone already told the brunette that she was in a relatively wealthy household.</p>
<p>The walls were painted in a nice shade of baby blue and a couple of paintings were hanging on the walls as décor. There was also a dresser, a bookshelf, a desk, and a small table with two chairs occupying the room as furniture. Overall, this was the fanciest guest room that Akko has ever been in. Heck, even her old room in her home village didn't compare to this...</p>
<p><strong>Home. Can I even call it that anymore?</strong> The brunette wondered, chuckling pitifully to herself while her eyes started welling up with tears as she recalled the memory of her dream. <strong>...Of course not, not after what they did to cast me out.</strong></p>
<p>Moments before Akko's tears threatened to fall, the door to the guest room opened.</p>
<p>The red-eyed girl turned her head toward the sound and her eyes widened in surprise as her gaze fell upon her savior. The young girl from last night, as if from the briefest of dreams, entered the room and closed the door behind her. Her blue eyes made contact with Akko's, and the brunette immediately found that she couldn't look away from them even if she wanted to. It felt as if she was in a trance, bewitched by the young doctor's beauty.</p>
<p>One glance to her savior's appearance and Akko already considered her to be very beautiful. The young doctor is fairly tall for her age with alabaster skin, blue eyes, and platinum blonde hair with tea-green highlights. Though, compared to last time, her hair was in a sophisticated bun. She was wearing a simple dress. The plain, blue garment was covered by a white apron.</p>
<p>"It took three days, but at last you're awake." The blonde spoke in relief, smiling as she neared the bed. Once she did, her smile disappeared and was instead replaced with a thin frown. "And, I see that you tried to move..." She finished saying in a slightly disappointed tone.</p>
<p>Akko could've sworn that she shrunk a bit while being under the heiress' disapproving gaze. "N-not on purpose, I swear!" She managed to squeak out, grimacing soon afterward from hearing her own voice crack. Probably from days of non-use.</p>
<p>The heiress, of course, picked up on that. "Hang tight. I'll fetch a cup of water for you, I'll be right back."</p>
<p>As soon as she entered, the blonde left. The brunette, on the other hand, carefully sat up in bed and tried her best to wrack her foggy brain to try and recall her savior's name...</p>
<p><strong>What was her name again? I know that she introduced herself to me.</strong> Akko recalled certain things like her voice, her smile, and those stunning blue eyes. <strong>Such a shade of blue... Can they even exist?</strong></p>
<p>True to her word, Akko's savior had returned and handed the cup of water to the red-eyed girl. "Here you go."</p>
<p>Akko accepted the drink graciously and practically chugged it all up, much to the blonde's amusement. The brunette then let out a satisfied sigh, feeling the water cool down her throat.</p>
<p>"I take it that the water was up to your liking?" The heiress teased, a small smile gracing her noble features.</p>
<p>"Yes, it was, um..." Akko trailed off a bit as she gave the young doctor a long hard look. "Your name was Di...Diana, right?" she asked.</p>
<p>Diana's smile grew. "That's right. My name is Diana Cavendish, and you're currently residing in my home. I'm surprised that you remembered, considering that you were asleep for so long."</p>
<p>"Y-yeah..." The red-eyed girl gave a small nod, her gaze falling on the molded cup in her hands.</p>
<p>Unbeknownst to Akko, the mattress shifted a bit and she soon felt a hand on her forehead. Startled, the brunette backed away from the sudden contact.</p>
<p>"My apologies." Diana retracted her hand, looking at her patient out of concern. "I was merely checking your temperature. You had me worried the last few nights with that stubborn fever of yours."</p>
<p>"...Why?"</p>
<p>The heiress looked puzzled, tilting her head in slight curiosity. "'Why?', you ask. Shouldn't it be obvious? I wanted to lend a hand."</p>
<p>"To a complete stranger?" Akko was just as confused as her, but for an entirely different reason. "I could've been a thief or some assassin for all you knew."</p>
<p>Diana couldn't help but scoff, rolling her eyes while doing so. "Not this rubbish again. Honestly, you sounded just like my cousins with that nonsense."</p>
<p>"N-nonsense?" The brunette was taken aback from that retort. "So, you're practically telling me that you would've been fine being victimized if I was a thug?!" She exclaimed.</p>
<p>"I don't know if I'd put it like that." The blonde gave a meek response, crossing her arms as she thought about her line of thinking a bit more.</p>
<p>If anything, Akko was intrigued on what her answer would be if said circumstance would've been true.</p>
<p>"Then, how would you put it?" The red-eyed girl grumbled a bit as she settled the molded cup on the bedside table.</p>
<p>"The answer is obvious: I'd still help you, or anyone else who might be in trouble." The red-eyed girl's posture straightened, staring at the young doctor in surprise from what she just heard. Noticing her patient's reaction, Diana merely smiled. "Friend or foe, it doesn't matter to me. That's just how I was raised. Not only that, but what kind of doctor would I be if I ignored an injured person? That would go against my medical oath and my family's most cherished belief. Every life matters."</p>
<p><strong>Even if that person was nothing more than a monster?</strong> Is what Akko wanted to say as she recalled her dream, but refrained from doing so. Instead, she just nodded in acknowledgment as to not appear rude in front of her savior.</p>
<p>Regardless of her sudden dark line of thinking, the brunette was actually very and truly grateful to the heiress. When Akko was on the road, nobody dared to stop and help her, not even sparing so much as a glance in her direction. Heck, the brunette would've appreciated if they would at least <strong>ASK</strong> if she needed assistance, but no one did... Until now.</p>
<p>Diana noticed her, Diana stopped, Diana <strong>ASKED</strong> if she needed help, and the blonde willingly lend a hand to a complete stranger no questions asked. She ignored all of the possibilities of danger just to help one person... If anything, there was only one thing Akko could say: Diana Cavendish is simply amazing. Though, honestly, that would be too straightforward, not to mention awkward since the two of them have just met.</p>
<p>"Akko?"</p>
<p>"Y-yes?" The brunette spoke, snapping out of her dark brooding.</p>
<p>"I originally was going to change your bandages, but since you're awake now I thought that you'd appreciate a warm bath." Diana offered.</p>
<p>Akko took that offer in a heartbeat, a goofy grin showing up on her face. "That would be great!"</p>
<p>"Excellent!" The heiress smiled, standing up from the bed as she started to make her way out of the guest room. Before she left, she looked at her patient once more. "I'll go ahead and prepare a bath for you. Once you're done, I'll dress you with some clean bandages. And if you're feeling up to it, I can inform my chef to prepare some lunch for us. How does that sound?"</p>
<p>All Diana got in response was frantic nodding, that silly grin still plastered on the girl's face.</p>
<p>The blonde found it to be absolutely adorable to the point where she let a giggle escape, once she gathered her composure she responded, "Alright then, I'll be back soon."</p>
<hr/>
<p>After Akko had finished with her bath, as promised, Diana bandaged her wounds followed by a small check-up. When they got the medical stuff out of the way, the heiress informed the chef that they'll be having lunch. As soon as their meals were ready, Carter was the one who kindly delivered the food to the room for the girls. Lo and behold, the meal certainly didn't go to waste...</p>
<p>"My, my, you were certainly starving, young miss." The butler chuckled as he cleared the plates from their table, settling them on the cart next to him.</p>
<p>"After being on the road for so long, I'm not surprised. They do say that a good appetite is a sign toward recovery." Diana commented with a small smile, finishing her cup of tea.</p>
<p>Akko merely scratched the back of her head in embarrassment, a scarlet blush taking over her face by the storm. "The food was absolutely delicious! Thank you!"</p>
<p>"I'm glad that it was up to your liking. The chef will be happy to hear that!" Carter bowed politely to the girls. "Aside from getting more tea, are you ladies interested in dessert?" He asked them.</p>
<p>"Just tea for me. Thank you, Carter." The heiress politely declined the offer, handing her now empty teacup to her servant.</p>
<p>The old man nodded in understanding. "Very well then, Miss Cavendish." He then looked at the brunette, asking, "How about you, young miss? Are you interested?"</p>
<p>Honestly, the red-eyed girl was torn. She already ate like five plates full of food, and she really didn't want to impose... "I-I'm kinda full already, thanks."</p>
<p>Carter deflated a bit in disappointment from her answer. "That's a shame... When the chef heard that we had a guest, I kindly suggested that he'd make a fresh fruit tart, I mean, you can never go wrong with a fruity dessert."</p>
<p>At hearing this, Akko absentmindedly began to drum her fingers against the table.</p>
<p><strong>Of all things, it just HAD to be a fruit tart! My only weakness...!</strong> The red-eyed girl thought in mock disdain, obviously suffering through a clash of wills with her inner self. At times likes these she hated being indecisive...</p>
<p>"She'll have one, Carter." Diana came to the rescue, answering on Akko's behalf.</p>
<p>The butler perked up immediately, almost as if his slight depression has disappeared without a trace. "Then, I'll be back momentarily!"</p>
<p>Once Carter left the guest room, the brunette released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.</p>
<p>"You know," The blonde began, looking at her patient in amusement. "You could've just said yes." She teased.</p>
<p>"I-I know! I just didn't want to ask for much since I already ate a ton..." Akko mumbled shyly, her blush from earlier returning.</p>
<p>Diana just kept on teasing her. "Even though the answer was clearly written on your face."</p>
<p>The red-eyed girl merely pouted in response to the heiress' remark.</p>
<p>The young doctor hid a giggle at the back of her hand from seeing Akko's cute reaction. Once she gathered her composure, Diana apologized, "My apologies, I was merely jesting. In all seriousness though, if you want something, then you only need to ask. There's no need to be shy." She reassured.</p>
<p>"Thank you so much..." Was all Akko could say, lacking on words at the moment.</p>
<p>"Don't mention it." The heiress smiled in kind, though it was only for a moment as her facial expression turned serious. "Akko, once you fully recover, do you have somewhere to go? Or, perhaps someone I can notify about your whereabouts?"</p>
<p>The brunette's eyes widened in surprise due to the sudden question. It was a reasonable one, but one that Akko would rather not think about as bad as it sounds...</p>
<p>The red-eyed girl merely avoided her savior's gaze. "...No. There's no one. The truth is, I-I don't have a home to go back to..." She responded quietly. "...It's complicated."</p>
<p>"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up bad memories..." Diana apologized, all of a sudden feeling guilty for probably bringing up a sensitive topic.</p>
<p>"It's not your fault, Diana. You were just trying to help."</p>
<p>"Well then," The heiress reached out for the brunette's hand, giving it a comforting squeeze, which in turn caused Akko to look at her. "Let's not focus on that. You're free to stay here for as long as you like, and when you finally decide on your next move... Please, let me know, and I'll gladly help with the arrangements. Don't worry about a thing, and just focus on recovering, okay?"</p>
<p>At this point in time, Akko was truly at a loss for words. In fact, the red-eyed girl felt disoriented just from thinking about it all...</p>
<p>
  <strong>Why?</strong>
</p>
<p>"Akko."</p>
<p>
  <strong>Why was I saved?</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Why is she being so nice to <em>me</em> of all people? I-I'm nothing but a monster...</strong>
</p>
<p>"Akko?"</p>
<p>
  <strong>A freak, a complete stranger with not a dime to her name. Diana absolutely has no reason to be associated with someone like me...!</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>And yet she took care of me, fed me, and now she's even offering me a home... This is too much! I-I can't stand it-!</strong>
</p>
<p>Involuntarily, the brunette flinched when she finally snapped out of it. Before she got distracted, Akko could've sworn that she was talking with Diana, and the next thing she knew the heiress suddenly came near and pulled Akko into an embrace.</p>
<p>"You don't trust me, do you?" At this current moment, Akko couldn't see her savior's face, but when Diana decided to speak the red-eyed girl could tell she was smiling. Diana's voice was both soft and understanding as she spoke, "I can't blame you though. If I was in your shoes, I'd probably react the same way. After all, we've only just met."</p>
<p>"D-Diana?"</p>
<p>The brunette was so nervous and for some reason scared by this point. Her first instinct literally being to push the heiress away before any harm could come to her, but ultimately, Akko shoved that thought away.</p>
<p>Luckily, the red-eyed girl didn't need to fret for much longer as Diana finally pulled away from the sudden embrace. And yet again, Akko was absolutely entranced by those stunning blue eyes and that kind smile. The trance broke, however when the blonde decided to reach out with her hand, causing the brunette to flinch yet again and close her eyes in fright.</p>
<p>Akko then felt a soft, warm touch on her cheek. Opening her eyes, the red-eyed girl noticed that Diana's facial expression had remained the same. The young doctor was as patient as ever, keeping her guest in place as she searched for a handkerchief from her skirt pocket with her free hand, and with it, she wiped Akko's tears away. Wait, tears?</p>
<p>"W-What? When did I...?" The brunette hadn't even realized she was crying. She attempted to brush away some of them, only to find out that Diana held her arms down in a firm but gentle grip.</p>
<p>"Yes, we're strangers to one another. You must be frightened, overwhelmed with all that you've been through. I can only imagine..." The heiress commented when she finally released the girl. She returned to her seat across from her guest. "Hopefully, I can prove myself to be worthy of your trust someday. Until then, you're not obligated to share anything that you don't want to. But when you do, I'd be happy to listen. Is this all right with you, Akko?"</p>
<p>You can call it a miracle, fate, luck, or whatever but the brunette felt absolutely blessed to be under the care of such a kind, caring, and understanding an individual. And quite frankly, Akko is looking forward to officially start staying at her new home and continue spending time with the young doctor. A new friend would be very nice...</p>
<p>For the first time since their conversation started, the red-eyed girl gave a genuine smile. "It's a deal!"</p>
<p>"I'm glad to hear it." Diana responded, returning the smile with one of her own.</p>
<p>As soon as their exchange was over, a sudden knock from the door startled the girls.</p>
<p>"You may enter." The heiress gave them permission to come in.</p>
<p>Carter popped in with a small tray that contained a slice of fruit tart and a cup of tea. "Pardon for the wait, the tea took longer to make than I expected."</p>
<p>"Nonsense. You weren't gone that long." Diana reassured. “Akko and I just finished a very important conversation. Isn't that right, Akko?”</p>
<p>The brunette nervously nodded in agreement, a bit lost in thought. “Y-yes.”</p>
<p><strong>I honestly don't know what this place has in store for me, but maybe... Maybe I can give it a chance, a chance to start a new life and see where my future will lead me. One thing's for sure, I </strong><em><span class="u"><strong>WILL</strong></span></em><strong> repay my debt to Diana!</strong> The brunette thought in determination. <strong>Somehow...</strong></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A/N2: That's it for chapter 3! Just like the last chapter, there really isn't anything worth of explanation. Chapter 4 will be up and ready once I finish editing it! Please, as always, let me know how I did on your comments. Reading them will let me know if I'm improving and it will also let me know if you guys are enjoying the story. The same goes for kudos and bookmarks too! I appreciate the support tremendously! Until next time! :3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Burden</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I don't own Little Witch Academia or any of its characters. They rightfully belong to Trigger.</p><p>A/N: Hey guys! New chapter! I would like to thank those of you who left me some kudos! The support for this project is simply wonderful! I hope you guys enjoy the chapter! ;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was a beautiful spring day in the month of March. Birds are chirping out in the distance, some of them flying in flocks, soaring through the skies as far as the eye can see with no clouds in sight. The day was perfect just to go out for a simple stroll or for a run to get some good exercise in except...</p><p><b>I am stuck in bed for who knows how long...</b> Akko thought to herself in boredom as she sighed heavily for the umpteenth time today, dramatically falling back on her bed with her left arm draped over her eyes in exaggeration.</p><p>Noticing her patient's dramatic performance, Diana looked up from reading her book. "Are you okay, Akko? You keep staring longingly at the window." She remarked.</p><p>"When am I allowed to go outside again?" The brunette asked, staring at the heiress.</p><p>"Well, that depends..." The young doctor responded, closing and setting her book on the bedside table. "Most of your wounds may have healed by this point, but you still have a broken leg. Generally, recovery time takes several weeks to a month, <em><b>however...</b></em>" She trailed off on that particular word once she noticed Akko's excited face. "There are a couple of factors to consider: The first being the severity of the injury, which by the way, your leg was in terrible shape. I'm surprised that you managed to run or walk on such an injury in the condition you were in. And, the second most important one of all depends entirely on you when it comes to following my medical orders." Diana finished explaining.</p><p>The red-eyed girl pouted upon hearing her savior's answer. In truth, it's actually been six weeks since Akko officially started living in the Cavendish Manor. Though, that fact itself is putting it lightly since the brunette has yet to properly explore her new home at Diana's behest, who strictly demanded that she should remain in bed.</p><p>It was nice of the heiress to actually take time out of her busy schedule to just come into Akko's room and genuinely spend time with her. Following Diana's instructions were easy enough, at first, but now not so much since the red-eyed girl was clearly bored by staying in bed by this point.</p><p>"Come on, Diana!" Akko pleaded with the heiress.</p><p>"I still think it's too soon for you to start rehabilitation, Akko." Diana calmly denied her patient's request.</p><p>The brunette then sat up in bed, obviously not taking no for an answer. "But, you just said that the healing process takes up to several weeks to a month! Six weeks counts as several weeks, doesn't it?" She spoke up persistently.</p><p>The heiress felt one of her eyebrows twitch in irritation. "That may be so, but it still doesn't change the fact that I have the final say on the matter-"</p><p>And ultimately, try as she might, Diana's resolve wavered even more when Akko showed her the most adorable puppy-dog eyes she's ever seen.</p><p>Diana crossed her arms and she somehow managed to settle her face into a more appropriate serious expression. "You can insist as many times as you'd like, but my answer will remain the same."</p><p>That was until the brunette did a dog-like whine, which of course added more for the puppy-dog look as Akko's red eyes became larger by the second, luring the heiress in with her adorable gaze...</p><p>Akko, with her facial features, was already cute. Really cute. Diana can't help but feel protective, she can't help the sudden innate need to pinch Akko's cheeks and lower her guard to let Akko do what she wants.</p><p><b>Don't fall for it, Diana. This is just a ploy so that Akko could get what she wants. You. Must. Be. Firm!</b> The blonde thought to herself with conviction, only to groan soon after. <b>I should've turned around when I had the chance...</b> Diana thought with regret, her stern approach obviously crumbling.</p><p>"Fine..." The young doctor sighed in defeat. However, she wasn't exactly giving in just yet. "I'll allow that you can start with your rehabilitation, under one condition."</p><p>"Anything!" Akko spoke excitedly, giving her savior her undivided attention.</p><p>Diana smiled a bit as she stood up from her chair and faced the brunette, blue eyes met with red for a moment before the heiress finally decided to speak, "If I deem that you don't make any significant progress by the end of the day, I have the right to call it off. I won't have you overexert yourself and delay your recovery for longer than it's supposed to be. Understood?"</p><p><b>Call it off...</b> The red-eyed girl thought in disappointment, but ultimately figured that Diana's demand was within reason. The blonde was just worried after all. "Okay."</p><p>"Good." Diana nodded in satisfaction. "Let's get you dressed up in comfortable clothing and head outside, shall we?"</p>
<hr/><p>As agreed upon, Diana guided Akko outside to a secluded spot behind the greenhouse so that the brunette can concentrate on her rehabilitation exercise. Truth be told, it wasn't anything fancy nor taxing. Basically, all Akko had to do was walk from point A to point B and show that she has the physical capabilities to continue said rehab.</p><p>The heiress was trying her best not to show a grimaced look whenever Akko fell, and when Diana got near to ask if she needed some help or if she wanted to take a break, the red-eyed girl would stubbornly shoo the young doctor away and insist that she can keep going. It was honestly hard to watch, but there was one certain thing about Atsuko Kagari...</p><p><b>She never gives up, that's for sure.</b> Diana thought with keen observation.</p><p>And, as much as it pained her, the blonde refrained from getting close in order to not agitate her patient even more. Rehabilitation can be longer, shorter, and even frustrating depending on the individual. Knowing the brunette, she's clearly having a rough time.</p><p>Akko stumbled with her footing and fell on the ground. She managed to push herself up to her knees, panting heavily from the exertion.</p><p><b>What gives?! It feels as if I'm hauling a huge bag of sand!</b> The red-eyed girl thought irritably, glaring at her left leg. Akko's irritation more or less subsided soon after, and her facial expression changed into a defeated one. <b>Diana was right. Maybe, I'm not ready for this at all...</b></p><p>"My, my, what is this? The little rat has come out to play~!"</p><p>"And here we thought that the two of you weren't going to show your faces for the rest of the year!"</p><p>Haughty laughs rang out, catching Akko's attention as she looked up at the newcomers. There were two girls, twins maybe? The brunette wasn't sure, but she could definitely see the Cavendish resemblance so Akko could at least tell that they were related to Diana in some way.</p><p>One of them had their hair parted to the right, while the other twin was parted to the left. Their clothes were also similar, though of course, their clothes had opposite color combinations for their dresses and scarves.</p><p>"U-Um... Who are y-"</p><p>Before Akko could even ask who they were, her vision was obscured as Diana had stepped in, standing between her and the twins.</p><p>"Do you have business with us?" The heiress asked them, though her question didn't even sound polite in the slightest. In fact, from what Akko could notice, Diana's voice was cold. Her tone of voice didn't even carry the usual warmth that the brunette was accustomed to. "If not, then I am going to ask you to leave."</p><p>"Merril, can you believe this? Such hostility from our very own cousin!" Maril spoke, dramatically while she sent a snarky grin toward Diana.</p><p>Her twin sister seemed to have the same sentiments. "I know, Maril, I know! And after we came all this way too..." Merril said insistently, feigning hurt while laying a hand on her chest. "We haven't seen you in the last six weeks since you came back with that <em><b>peasant.</b></em>" She mentioned that last word in spite.</p><p><b>Peasant? Do they mean me?</b> The brunette wondered in confusion.</p><p>Diana, however, wasn't going to put up with their charade. "Why show such 'concerns?'" She scoffed, not falling for their act. "You two didn't even notice, nor cared when I occasionally left the manor. So, why show interest now? <em><b>And,</b></em> I would appreciate it if you stopped disrespecting my guest...!" The blonde admonished.</p><p>Maril raised her eyebrows in amusement. "My, my, we certainly hit a nerve! Don't you think, sister dear?"</p><p>"I agree. I mean, it's not every day that Diana talks back to us." Merril cooed. "It certainly reminds me of the good old days!" She gushed, "I think we have the <em><b>commoner</b></em> to thank for that!"</p><p>More haughty laughter ensued, causing the heiress to glare at them while clenching her jaw in irritation. Her cousins were nothing but insufferable...</p><p>Akko noticed her savior's shift in demeanor, and she gave another brief look towards the Cavendish twins. They were nothing like Diana. Perhaps in family resemblance, lineage, but that's literally it. Where was the warmth? The care?</p><p><b>How come they act so mean, so cold, and so above everyone else?</b> The brunette wondered. <b>And most of all... Why do they have to be so petty against someone, who I think, deserves it the least?</b></p><p>It was something unthinkable, or more like Akko really couldn't wrap her head around why people would even do such a thing. She then reached out toward her savior.</p><p>Surprised by the sudden contact, Diana looked down at her patient, her tense face from earlier melted away and immediately switched to concern. "Yes, Akko?"</p><p>The red-eyed girl's head was down, most likely looking at the ground. Her hand tugged Diana's, almost as if saying, “Help me up”. The heiress was a bit confused, but it didn't take long for her to do Akko's abrupt request.</p><p>If anything, the Cavendish twins were nothing but amused.</p><p>"Aww, what's wrong? Not feeling well?" Maril mocked.</p><p>Merril hid a giggle at the back of her hand. "I guess the street rat had enough."</p><p>"STOP CALLING ME THAT!" The brunette yelled, startling the Cavendishes from her sudden outburst. Her left hand balled into an angry fist, shaking in fury while her right hand was clinging onto Diana's arm, who was kindly steadying her. "I'm a person! I have a name! It's not <em><b>'peasant'</b></em>, and it's definitely not <em><b>'street rat'</b></em> either! My name is Atsuko Kagari!" Akko proclaimed proudly.</p><p>The twin sisters looked appalled by the girl's tantrum.</p><p>Maril was disgusted, putting her hands on her hips. "The nerve!"</p><p>"You're quite the spunky little brat, aren't you?" Merril commented, feeling one of her brows twitch in irritation.</p><p>"Well, you'd better get used to it!" Akko practically barked defiantly, instinctively taking a step towards the Cavendish twins. "I'm not going to stand by and let you bully your cousin, not on my watch!"</p><p>Diana was at a loss for words. "Akko..."</p><p>Maril was absolutely livid as she exclaimed, "How dare you! You think just because you're talking back to us that it makes you some kind of big shot!"</p><p>"That's enough, Maril!" Merril held her twin back, gently guiding her out of here. "They're not worth it. Let's just go back to the manor."</p><p>Maril obeyed and let herself be led away, but not before looking over her shoulder and yelling, "This isn't over, you hear me?!"</p><p>"That's fine! I'm just getting started anyway!" The brunette yelled her comeback from the top of her lungs, not at all swayed by the blonde's threat.</p><p>After Diana's cousins left, the heiress and her patient were alone once again. Diana couldn't believe how that conversation, or more like argument, concluded. In fact, it was shocking.</p><p>The young doctor certainly was surprised that the red-eyed girl not only stepped in, but she also stood up for Diana, and most importantly herself. Nobody wouldn't have dared, nor even think of stepping in an argument between ANY of the Cavendishes. Some would say that it would be considered suicide, or to put it nicely, a fool's errand.</p><p>And yet, here was Atsuko Kagari, who willingly did something that seemed almost second nature to her to the point where the heiress wonders if the girl even thought about her actions beforehand. Instead, all Diana was able to think was...</p><p><b>This girl...</b> The blonde mused to herself with pure amazement while shaking her head, a small smile gracing her noble features.</p><p>As soon as her admiration started, it ended when Diana felt sudden weight to her left side. When she looked, the heiress noticed Akko panting heavily as she tried her best to stay standing, the girl's left leg was clearly shaking from exerting herself too much.</p><p><em>"Good grief..."</em> Diana whispered quietly to herself, gently lowering the girl to the ground so that she can sit and catch a break.</p><p>The brunette sighed in relief once she was off her feet and her bum touched the ground, exaggerating the groan even further as she closed her eyes and slowly laid back on the soft grass. Another sight that the young doctor found to be adorable.</p><p>"...Man, who knew standing up so much could be so much work?" Akko commented nonchalantly to no one in particular.</p><p>For lack of anything better to do, Diana sat down and laid back on the grass beside her patient. "You're certainly a strange girl." She willingly spoke such a bold statement.</p><p>At hearing this, the red-eyed girl pouted, carefully maneuvering herself to lay on her good side so that she could see Diana clearly. "That's kind of mean, don't you think?" She asked, recalling a few scenes from her past.</p><p>"Not as I see it." The heiress admitted quietly, turning her head to the left and meeting Akko's gaze. "Being weird isn't necessarily a bad thing, it can also be good too."</p><p>"Huh? Good how?" The brunette inquired, tilting her head in curiosity.</p><p>Diana thought about it for a moment, but she honestly didn't think on how to elaborate on that. "Hmm, I guess it depends on the person. But, if I can come up with an example... I think it was what you did earlier."</p><p>"Earlier?"</p><p>"Yes, with my cousins." The blonde clarified, recalling the awe she witnessed moments ago. "What on earth came over you?"</p><p>"I-I don't know..." Akko honestly couldn't come up with an answer, especially since Diana kept staring at her with an intense gaze. It wasn't intimidating or anything. In fact, it was soft and mesmerizing, those stunning blue eyes looking at the brunette with pure genuine curiosity.</p><p>Obviously, it was hard for the brunette to think straight, but that still didn't stop the blonde to repeat her question again...</p><p>"Come on Akko, what made you step in like that?"</p><p>Despite her repeated question, all Diana was met with was silence and a whole lot of staring. The heiress smiled when she reached out, gently poking the brunette's cheek. It seemed to have worked as the small action managed to snap Akko out of her trance, blinking rapidly a couple of times while she tried to process what just happened, only to realize moments later that she was caught staring.</p><p>"It's not polite to stare, you know." Diana teased her, and she then added, "It's also rude that you kept a lady waiting."</p><p>"S-Sorry!"</p><p>"There's no need to apologize."</p><p>The red-eyed girl scratched the back of her head in embarrassment, secretly hoping that doing this action would help lessen the blush on her face. It didn't. Though she did manage to think of an answer to Diana's earlier question.</p><p>"I guess... I stepped in because I wanted to." Akko answered honestly.</p><p>"Why?"</p><p>This certainly sounded familiar...</p><p>"It's just how I was raised." The brunette said with a simple shrug of her shoulders. That was all there was to it. "Standing up for myself and other people, helping them whenever they needed it. Just like when you helped me back when we first met, only without the fancy medical oath and family legacy. I just...have my own ways of doing things."</p><p><b>The Akko way, huh? Sounds just like her.</b> Diana thought with a smile as she sat up, looking up briefly at the azure skies. "I see."</p><p>"A-Are you mad that I stepped in, Diana?" Akko asked shyly in an unusual small voice, but loud enough for the blonde to hear her. She was nervously picking on the grass in order to distract herself, and she couldn't explain why.</p><p>"No, I appreciate what you did for me."</p><p>The red-eyed girl stopped picking on the ground, looking up at the heiress in surprise. "Really?"</p><p>Diana turned around, having her hands behind her back while facing her patient with a smile. "Really, really."</p><p>There was that kind smile again, and for the second time today Akko got caught in another trance. If this is what she'll be exposed to from now on by staying with the blonde, then the brunette certainly wouldn't mind being on the receiving end of those smiles.</p><p>"Akko?"</p><p>The red-eyed girl blinked. "Hmm?" She hummed, giving her savior her undivided attention.</p><p>"You're staring again~!" The heiress teased her.</p><p>"U-Uh, no I'm not!" Akko spoke insistently, standing up automatically from the ground. A bit too early from the looks of it since the brunette immediately hunched over a bit for putting too much weight on her leg. "Ugh, too fast, too fast...!" She whimpered, taking deep breaths so that she wouldn't succumb to the pain.</p><p>"Akko, you've got to be careful!" Diana lightly chided her, concern clearly written on her face.</p><p>"Nah, I'm fine! In fact, I'm raring to go, let's get back to my rehab!"</p><p>"Akko, wait a minute. Akko, are you even listening to me?!"</p>
<hr/><p>At last, it was finally evening, and the girls had finally returned to the Cavendish Manor. A warm bath, a comfortable set of clothes, a small medical check-up, and a full delicious meal later and Atsuko Kagari zoned out from the world the moment her head fell on the pillow.</p><p>The rehabilitation session, of course, tired Akko out throughout the day, but regardless the girl has certainly made significant progress.</p><p>The room was silent except for a few pages being turned here and there due to Diana's reading. The heiress sighed as she looked up from her medical textbook, turning her head to the right to stare at the slumbering brunette.</p><p>Diana brought her hand up, gently trailing her fingers through Akko's brown hair while the red-eyed girl snored softly in her sleep.</p><p>"She's out like a light." The blonde commented with a small smile.</p><p>Before Diana could even resume with her reading, she could've sworn she heard a peculiar sound. Cautious, the heiress quietly closed her book and rose up from her chair. The mysterious noise seemed to be coming from the brunette's bed, though the noise wasn't the from the girl, it was something else. When Diana neared the foot of the bed, that's when she saw it...</p><p>An albino serpent was coiled around one of the bed's wooden frames, looking at the heiress intently. It stuck out its tongue as it hissed before setting its sights on Akko, its body prepared to lunge.</p><p><em>"Oh no, you don't!"</em> Diana whispered in disapproval, moving in to intervene.</p><p>With surprisingly fast precision and reflexes, the young doctor stepped in and swatted the snake away with her medical textbook.</p><p>The serpent collided with the wall causing a small thump, its body falling with a tiny flop on the floor soon afterward. The albino snake shook its head to clear its senses and hissed menacingly at Diana for a bit, but it didn't pursue as it decided to slither away under the door and retreat into the hallway.</p><p>The heiress narrowed her blue eyes in suspicion, though in hindsight, she shouldn't since she already knows the rightful owner of that snake...</p><p>Sighing in irritation, Diana set her book down on the bedside table. She gave Akko one last look before ultimately she went out into the hallway of the manor.</p><p>The hallway was dark and it was late into the night, most of the servants had already retired for the evening. The blonde closed the door, not all the way through. She looked to the right and then to the left, but there was nobody on the corridor.</p><p><b>That snake couldn't have gotten far.</b> Diana thought to herself while she walked down the hall, coming to a stop sooner than she thought once she heard a familiar hiss.</p><p>Lo and behold, the albino serpent was alone in the middle of the corridor. It stared at the heiress menacingly with its deep crimson eyes, its tongue slipping out of its mouth every now and then.</p><p><em>"Someone is certainly vigilant..."</em> A familiar cold voice could be heard throughout the hallway.</p><p>"I wouldn't have to, if you didn't try anything against Akko." Diana responded evenly, keeping her temper in check.</p><p>
  <em>"Hmph, I suppose that's true."</em>
</p><p>A dark silhouette emerged from the shadows, red eyes as equal to the snake's glowing in the present darkness. The snake familiar took this time to finally return to his owner, and of course, the master of this serpent happened to be the Proxy Head of the Cavendish Family.</p><p>Regardless of the tense circumstance, it still didn't stop the blonde to exchange pleasantries with the older woman.</p><p>"Good evening, Aunt Daryl."</p><p>"Diana."</p><p>A small silence fell between them for a moment, before Daryl decided to break the deafening silence...</p><p>"My daughters have told me that they haven't seen you over the last six weeks, is this true?" The matriarch questioned her niece, checking over her little familiar as she did so.</p><p>"I haven't left the Cavendish property, if that's what you're worried about." Diana responded, diminishing any concerns her aunt might have.</p><p>"Then, what have you been doing?"</p><p>"Taking care of the girl I'm responsible for. Isn't that what we 'agreed' upon?"</p><p>“Hmph, yes. <em><b>That </b></em>girl...” The elder Cavendish scoffed. "Is she the reason why you brutishly manhandled my poor serpent?"</p><p>"<em><b>My apologies,</b></em> Aunt Daryl." The heiress apologized, though for once, it didn't sound sincere in the slightest. "But, it seems that you forced my hand."</p><p>"I was merely checking for myself if that girl poses to be a threat to this family." Daryl spoke out her own concerns, aiming her cold gaze toward her niece.</p><p>"I assure you that she does not." Diana answered confidently, passing a hand through her wavy tresses.</p><p>"When will she be departing?"</p><p><b>Oh, right. That.</b> The young doctor closed her eyes for a moment, thinking on how to approach this supposed landmine.</p><p>It's not that Diana forgot to tell her aunt about the conversation she had with Akko several weeks ago, but rather the blonde had a bit of a difficult time trying to bring up the delicate topic. And considering that she was going to talk with her aunt... Diana needs to do a whole lot of convincing.</p><p>"About that..."</p><p>Luckily for her, the older woman read the teenage girl like an open book. "You offered her shelter, didn't you?"</p><p>"Yes." The young doctor answered honestly, not denying nor dancing around the topic.</p><p>"Diana, we have discussed this!" Aunt Daryl reprimanded. "And yet, you insistently continue to go behind my back! Do you want our family legacy to disappear?!"</p><p>Despite the backlash she was receiving, Diana remained calm. "Can you keep your voice down? It's quite late."</p><p>"I will do no such thing!"</p><p><b>And then, SHE'S the one who calls me childish...!</b> The heiress thought with a heavy sigh, crossing her arms in irritation. She spoke again in regards to her aunt's earlier question, "No, I don't want this family to disappear. And, I only went behind your back because Akko truly didn't have anywhere else to go."</p><p>"Just like everybody else in this bloody country!" Daryl snapped. Her familiar serpent that's wrapped loosely around her neck hissed accordingly to its master's mood. "It still won't change the fact that she's another mouth to feed, a burden!"</p><p>"She is not a burden...!" Diana growled angrily, barely keeping her temper in check by this point. "Besides, Akko's not your responsibility, remember?"</p><p>"Fine." The elder Cavendish surprisingly backed off, walking past her niece so that she can head to her room. "We'll continue this another time."</p><p>The sound of angry clicking heels rang out in the empty hallway, followed by the sound of a door opening and closing with an angry slam, indicating her aunt's obvious departure.</p><p>It was always like this. Diana's relationship with Aunt Daryl was never a good one. If anything, it was strained. That much is obvious. Their conversations, or rather arguments, never end in a good note.</p><p>It was one shouting match after another since the two of them rarely agreed on anything. Day in and day out, it's always the same song and dance in their everyday lives. And for once, Diana just wants everything to stop...</p><p><em>"Goodnight to you too..." </em>The young doctor whispered bitterly, pinching the bridge of her nose. She can already feel a headache coming on.</p><p>Unbeknownst to Diana, Akko had woken up from her slumber. Curious to see what the fuss was about, the brunette had gotten close to her bedroom door, sitting on the floor while leaning against the wall as she nervously hugged her pillow against her chest.</p><p>Long story short, Akko had heard everything and the more she heard, the more saddened she became. To think that she was causing Diana trouble by staying here...</p><p>Of course, she heard for herself that the heiress denies such bashful claims, but even so... It still didn't change the fact that Diana got in trouble with her aunt due to Akko's presence within the manor.</p><p>And, what was the whole deal with this agreement and responsibility they kept talking about?</p><p><b>I really am a burden...</b> The red-eyed girl thought to herself while she sobbed, muffling her cries against her pillow, continuing to cry late into the night by her lonesome.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A/N2: Poor Akko! Am I right? Obviously, there's going to be a little bit of drama coming up in the next two chapters for our main girls. Stay tuned for that! Please, as always, let me know if you guys enjoyed the chapter on your comments. Reading your comments not only make my day, but it also let's me know if I'm doing a good job writing for you guys. The same goes for kudos and bookmarks too! I appreciate the support immensely! Until next time! :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Runaway</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I don't own Little Witch Academia or any of its characters. They rightfully belong to Trigger.</p>
<p>A/N: Hello my lovelies, I am back with a brand new chapter! I may be a broken record already by saying this, but... I simply can't thank you guys enough for the support on this story. It honestly scares me a little with how much attention this story has been getting recently, and I love it! I mean it, it's just wonderful and makes me want to write even more! Now, that's enough about me for now. I'll leave my rant at the end of the chapter. Enjoy! :D</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Diana stretched out a bit, leaning back against her chair while she crossed her arms. A stack of medical notes was laid out on her desk, clearly demanding her attention. She just couldn't concentrate as of late, and it most likely had something to do with a certain brunette...</p>
<p>It was the strangest thing.</p>
<p>At first, it was understandable due to Akko's severe condition and making sure that she didn't suffer any complications while she recovered, but now that the girl is practically up and about it's been nothing but entertaining.</p>
<p>There were some days where Diana would be busy in her study or in the garden, only to be interrupted by one of her servants, who always relayed a message from Akko claiming that she was bored and demanded the blonde's presence. Instead of finding that behavior annoying, like most people, Diana surprisingly didn't mind it one bit.</p>
<p>It was refreshing really.</p>
<p>In all honesty, Diana does care for her aunt and cousins, but they weren't really much in terms of good company. The brunette, however, is something new entirely. It's literally never a dull moment with the girl, and the time that the heiress has spent with her has been nothing but precious.</p>
<p>In fact, Diana secretly gets overjoyed when the red-eyed girl demanded that she'd spent some time with her. Every time she entered Akko's room, the girl always has something in mind to pass the time whether it's playing chess, talking about the randomness of any topic that came to mind, and sometimes Akko even pleaded Diana to read a book to her.</p>
<p>That was before the red-eyed girl became insistent to start with her rehabilitation. It was something that the young doctor was really opposed to, thinking that it would be too early to start that process, but ultimately Diana couldn't say no to her.</p>
<p>Regardless of it all, the blonde always thought that the two of them got along rather well, or so she thought...</p>
<p>Since the red-eyed girl started her rehabilitation exercises a couple of days ago, the heiress noticed that there seemed to be a change on the girl's behavior. At first glance, there seemed to be nothing major, but Diana just can't shake the feeling that something was wrong.</p>
<p>Whenever she tried to strike up a conversation with Akko, the girl would make small talk, an obvious contrast to her usual chatty personality. And if the blonde asked if she was alright, the brunette would always blame it on the fact that she felt tired.</p>
<p>Something was definitely up, but then again...</p>
<p><b>Maybe she really is low on energy? I mean, Akko has been bedridden for a good while...</b> Diana thought reasonably, but somehow she still didn't feel convinced with that line of thought.</p>
<p>The young doctor sighed as she rose up from her chair. "I think I'll go check on her." She decided.</p>
<p>Once Diana made it to Akko's room, she stared at the door for a couple of minutes. The heiress couldn't explain why, but she felt anxious all of a sudden.</p>
<p><b>I'll probably feel better when I see her.</b> Diana reassured herself, trying her best to shake the feeling away. She then knocked on the door.</p>
<p>Diana called out to her. "Akko, can we talk for a bit?"</p>
<p>No answer.</p>
<p><b>That's strange...</b> The blonde thought suspiciously, sensing that nervous feeling creeping up on her again. Diana repeated her actions one more time. "Akko, are you okay in there?"</p>
<p>Still no answer.</p>
<p><b>How come she's not responding?</b> Diana wondered, clearly irritated by this point. Her hand touched the doorknob and opened the door without a second thought.</p>
<p>What the young doctor found not only left her bewildered, but it also left her concerned, more than she has been in a long time.</p>
<p>The room itself practically remained the same, just as the heiress remembers it. Though the dresser drawers were left open and cleaned out, pillows were clearly thrown off the bed, and the blankets were tied and used to make a make-shift rope that led out towards the open window...</p>
<p>"This girl...!" Diana couldn't help but growl out angrily, the knuckles in her right hand turning white by how hard she was gripping the doorknob. "She's in no condition to be wandering around!"</p>
<p>The blonde didn't waste any time as she turned around and immediately headed downstairs to start her search.</p>
<p>Regardless of Akko's “head start”, Diana knew that the girl wouldn't make it too far. The brunette would eventually tire herself out, and that's exactly what the young doctor was hoping for if she planned to catch her.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Meanwhile at around noon, Akko had finally managed to walk to Blytonbury on her own. It took a bit of time and effort to get here just by walking in her condition, but she personally considers it as an accomplishment.</p>
<p><b>It's a good thing that I decided to sleep and wake up early to have a head start.</b> The brunette praised herself in her thoughts as she adjusted the satchel bag on her shoulder, and while she did so Akko couldn't help but feel guilty when she looked at her “belongings”...</p>
<p>"...This is for the best." The red-eyed girl spoke aloud to no one in particular, obviously trying to convince herself that there was nothing to feel ashamed about her actions.</p>
<p>Akko resumed her walk again in town, walking by a couple of civilians while glancing around the nearby shops and quaint buildings. And as she walked, the brunette found that her mind kept thinking back to a certain platinum blonde...</p>
<p>Though they have known each other for a short time, the moments that Akko had spent with the young heiress was nothing but magical. It felt as if she was a part of a fairy tale, and for the first time in her life, the red-eyed girl actually felt special. She never experienced such kindness and hospitality, not to mention generosity. From being homeless Akko had clothes, food, and even a roof over her head and it was all thanks to her savior.</p>
<p>If people knew that the brunette had run away from all that, they would consider her a fool. Others would consider her to be a liar and a thief for betraying Diana's trust. And admittedly, they're not far from that truth...</p>
<p><b>But, what was I supposed to do? Stay and continue to be a hindrance?</b> The girl wondered.</p>
<p>It was pretty obvious that the majority of the Cavendish family didn't want Akko to stay, and she'll be damned to cause the blonde any more trouble.</p>
<p>As distracted as she was with her thoughts, Akko didn't notice that she bumped into someone, causing the two of them to fall onto the ground along with their luggage...</p>
<p>"Oh, pardon me." A young boy apologized to her while he got back up to his feet. "I should really watch where I'm going." He commented, extending his hand to help the brunette.</p>
<p>Akko was taken aback, still thinking what the heck just happened. She shook her head and accepted his help. "No, it was my fault. I just zoned out."</p>
<p>The kid that the red-eyed girl bumped into was really young in comparison, probably a ten year old. He seemed to be of average height for his age with messy golden-blonde hair and green eyes that seemed to be coated with mischief. His outfit consisted of a blue t-shirt, a puce jacket, and gray pants.</p>
<p>"No worries." The blonde boy reassured, picking up Akko's satchel bag and returned it to her. He then picked up his own bag. "Well, I have to get going. See ya around!"</p>
<p>As brief as their interaction was, it suddenly ended as the child departed around a street corner.</p>
<p>"What a strange kid..." Akko couldn't help but comment.</p>
<p>The brunette was about to resume her walk when she noticed the sudden weight difference on her bag. Curious, the girl took a peek inside, only to let out a shocked scream soon afterward when she earned the attention of almost every passerby that was walking on the street. Her “belongings” were replaced with nothing but tomatoes!</p>
<p>"That little brat smuggled my stuff!" The red-eyed girl fumed in rage, turning tail as she took off in a run to catch up to the thief.</p>
<p>As Akko ran, she felt her left leg shake in protest whenever she put weight on it, but regardless of the pain, the brunette pushed on passed civilians and ran down the road.</p>
<p>When she turned the street corner, Akko immediately spotted the messy head of golden hair on plain sight. "HEY!"</p>
<p>The young boy jumped a bit from the sudden outburst, daring to look over his shoulder. He instantly regretted it once he saw the red-eyed girl speeding up towards him.</p>
<p>"Yikes!"</p>
<p>And so, the blonde child high-tailed out of there as fast as his legs could take him. What he didn't know was that the girl he was trying to shake off is one persistent customer. From melding into a crowd of people to cut through corners, purposely throwing off shop stands, etc. No matter what the boy tried, Akko still managed to follow. Until eventually, the blonde child hit a dead end...</p>
<p>"Aww, crap...!" The young lad grumbled under his breath as he stared at the plain brick wall in front of him.</p>
<p><b>Of all places to turn in a corner, and it just HAD to be an alleyway! How am I going to get out of this one?</b> The boy mused to himself, grumbling under his breath.</p>
<p>"Give it up, kid!" The brunette told him, hunching over a bit as she panted from the exertion. "You have nowhere to go, and I would appreciate getting my stuff back...!" She said, extending her hand out to him.</p>
<p>The child slowly turned around to face his pursuer, having his hands up in surrender. "Listen, it's not what it looks like."</p>
<p>"Really?" Akko spoke unimpressed, one of her brows twitching in irritation. "Next, you're going to tell me that it was all a misunderstanding."</p>
<p>"Naw, I wouldn't say that..." The blonde boy trailed off, noticing subtle movement from behind the girl.</p>
<p>The brunette sighed and tried to reassure the lad, "Look, I promise that I'm not mad. Let's just exchange bags, and be on our merry way."</p>
<p>Akko already reached her limit, and the kid noticed.</p>
<p>"Yeah, sure, whatever you say miss." The child surprisingly complied with the red-eyed girl's demands, inclining his head toward the right. He then took off Akko's satchel and went to hand it over to her.</p>
<p>The brunette also mimicked the same actions, but before they could finish off their exchange... The boy pushed her. "Have a nice <em><b>trip!</b></em>" He snickered, quickly snatching the handbag Akko had in her hands as well.</p>
<p>"Wha-"</p>
<p>It was weird. One moment Akko was up on her feet, and the next thing she knew she was off her feet. It felt as if time had stopped and she was flying in midair, only for cruel gravity to bring a painful reminder that things never remain that way for too long. In reality, the red-eyed girl stumbled into something, or rather someone who was on their hands and knees to purposely trip her...</p>
<p>Akko's back hit the ground, feeling the air escape from her lungs from the sudden impact. Despite the surprise, Akko tried her best to get back up to her feet.</p>
<p>"Hurry up! Let's get out of here!" The blonde child yelled at a couple of others, who immediately followed the boy's orders without complaints.</p>
<p>The brunette heard a cacophony of footsteps in the alleyway, and when she turned her head to see what it was, it turned out to be a group of kids. Aside from the blonde boy she encountered, there seemed to be four more boys. There was a big chubby one, another boy that seemed to be smaller in comparison, and two of them appeared to be identical twins.</p>
<p><b>You have got to be kidding me?!</b> Akko thought in outrage, clearly losing her patience by this point. She then yelled at them, "You little brats, get back here right now!"</p>
<p>The group of boys just laughed at her misery, a couple of them throwing tomatoes at the girl as they made their escape.</p>
<p>"It was a pleasure making your acquaintance!" The blonde boy yelled at her in farewell.</p>
<p>"Stupid brats...!" Akko growled angrily while she wiped the excess tomato off her face with her sleeve, shakily getting up on her feet as she was prepared to run after them again. "I won't let you get away-"</p>
<p>Her leg shook in protest, causing the red-eyed girl to collapse on the ground again. Akko groaned a bit, looking down at her left leg with disdain. <b>I reached my limit...! Damn it!</b></p>
<hr/>
<p><b>Where on earth could she be?</b> Diana thought worriedly, though her face said otherwise.</p>
<p>Clearly, she was mad, and for good reason. Heck, not even Anna wanted to test her patience at the moment...</p>
<p>It has been a total of five hours since the heiress had started her search for Akko. She had requested for Anna and Carter's help as well to find the missing brunette, and so far their attempts have been dismal to say the least.</p>
<p>They first searched the entirety of the Cavendish Property, followed by walking to remote spots within Wedinburgh Village, but not even the citizens of the small town could help with information. So now the blonde was about to do the last resort, as it were, to expand her search for the red-eyed girl.</p>
<p>Diana's steps were filled with a sense of purpose as she walked toward the stables of the Cavendish property to meet up with Carter, and as she did her head maid followed behind her mistress. The older woman was desperately trying to convince Diana to reconsider her actions about the matter...</p>
<p>"Milady, is there really no other way for me to change your mind?" Anna questioned her mistress.</p>
<p>Diana answered as calmly as possible, "No, Anna."</p>
<p>"If I may be frank, why are you so fixated on the girl?" The head maid asked another question, trying to comprehend her mistress' actions. "Clearly, she didn't want to stay here, correct? I understand that she left unannounced, but is this really the best course of action for you to take?"</p>
<p>If she were honest with herself, not even Diana knows what she was doing. She just knew deep down that she can't let Akko leave. Not yet, not like this... "It's... complicated."</p>
<p>"Complicated?" Anna repeated, looking puzzled by the heiress' reply as she and Diana finally reached the barn.</p>
<p>Carter met up with them, having prepared Diana's horse in advance. The young doctor smiled a bit as she accepted the horse's reigns from her butler, petting the white stallion's mane.</p>
<p>Diana sighed for a bit while she turned to face Anna, who was patiently waiting for an elaborate answer. "I really don't know how to explain it, I just don't. <em><b>But...</b></em>" As unsure as she was, Diana continued, and the more she spoke, the more she felt confident about her words. "I know for a fact that Akko didn't want to leave. She doesn't have anywhere else to go, she told me so herself."</p>
<p>"Are you sure that girl didn't lie to you with her sweet honeyed words?" Daryl accused as she and her daughters showed up unannounced, much to Diana's ire.</p>
<p><b>They have horrible timing...!</b> The blonde thought angrily, trying her best to suppress a growl and keeping her face as neutral as possible.</p>
<p>"Honestly, if you had listened to me, you wouldn't be fussing about this predicament." The elder Cavendish commented while she crossed her arms.</p>
<p>Diana felt one of her hands ball into an angry fist, her own jaw clenching in fury. <b>Calm down, Diana. They want a reaction out of you. Don't let them get under your skin... They don't know Akko as I do.</b> She told herself, and she managed to speak out in Akko's defense by saying, "She is not a liar."</p>
<p>"Geez, how blind are you?! You must be on denial, I almost feel sorry for you." Maril cooed with mock sympathy.</p>
<p>Merril snickered, "Yeah, I mean, the little rat not only lied to you, but she clearly stole some of your stuff and ran away." She hid a giggle at the back of her hand. "I guess she really was a thief after all."</p>
<p>Try as she might, no matter how many times she tried to calm herself, or how many sentences she could form up for the brunette's defense... The accusations just kept coming. And, it wasn't fair. Diana knew it. Her aunt and cousins just blame, judge, or just be mean to anyone who wasn't of important status. They're not like the heiress whatsoever...</p>
<p><b>They're anything <em>but</em> Cavendishes!</b> The heiress thought in spite.</p>
<p>"SHUT UP!" Diana snapped, raising her voice so that everyone present could hear it. "Stop acting as if you know her! None of you do!"</p>
<p>Daryl's blue eyes widened in shock due to her niece's sudden outburst, which caused the twins to surprisingly cower and hide behind their mother for protection.</p>
<p>Witnessing their reactions, the heiress took a confident step towards them as she continued, "I refuse to believe that Akko left because of your assumptions! You weren't there when I first met her, you don't know her as I do! Akko most likely left because she knows you can't stand her!" Diana threw an accusation of her own at her aunt.</p>
<p>The older woman cleared her throat, and after she gathered her composure she responded with, "That may be true, to some extent, but it doesn't change the fact that the girl left the mansion of her own volition. And, as much as you want to claim that you know her, she didn't even say goodbye to you. Her supposed savior... I mean, who's to say that the reason she left was because of <b>YOU?</b>"</p>
<p>The young doctor opened her mouth, trying to come up with some sort of retort but no words came to her defense. As much as she hated to admit it, Aunt Daryl was right. What if the reason Akko ran away was because of Diana? There was a bit of distance between them lately...</p>
<p>Diana closed her eyes, sighing heavily through her nose. Once she managed to calm down, the blonde opened her eyes again. "If that's the truth then... I'll accept it. Only if it comes from her, and only her." She proclaimed with conviction.</p>
<p>For the second time today, her aunt and cousins looked on with astonishment from her actions. The heiress turned around and mounted her horse, to which Daryl's facial expression morphed into one of disapproval.</p>
<p>"And, where in blazes do you think you're going?!" The elder Cavendish interrogated, placing her hands on her hips.</p>
<p>"That's a silly question, don't you think?" Diana said rhetorically.</p>
<p>"Diana—"</p>
<p>Ignoring her aunt, the young doctor turned her head toward her servants. "Anna, Carter, I'll be back by nightfall. Don't wait up for me."</p>
<p>The head maid nodded in understanding. "Yes, milady. I wish you safe travels."</p>
<p>"And, we'll happily keep a look out for the young miss. Don't you worry." Her butler smiled at his mistress in reassurance.</p>
<p>For the first time today, Diana actually showed a small smile. She could always count on Anna and Carter to be there for her.</p>
<p>"Let's go, Helios." Having their blessing, the young doctor led her horse away from the group before she kicked the horse into a full gallop.</p>
<p>Anna and Carter waved goodbye as they watched Diana leave the property with her steed, Maril and Merril had their arms crossed while turning their heads with defiant huffs since they could care less for their righteous cousin, and finally...</p>
<p>Daryl was absolutely <b>seething</b>with rage, grumbling, <em>"That foolish girl has defied me for the last time...!"</em></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A/N2: That's it for chapter 5 folks! The first part of the drama train has begun for this story, and there's going to be a bit more for the next two chapters. Akko trying to run away, and Diana going on a desperate search for our lovable brunette.</p>
<p>Just for clarification: Yes, Akko got tricked by Thomas and his friends. If you remember, they appeared in Little Witch Academia: The Enchanted Parade OVA where they obviously bullied Akko as well, and I decided, “Why the heck not?!” to add them into the story. They won't appear as main characters, obviously, but we'll see them around from time to time in some chapters.</p>
<p>That's pretty much it for explanations for this chapter. STAY TUNED! We're finally going to have a first glimpse of the Witch Trials on chapter 6! As always, please let me know how I did on your comments. Reading them will always make my day and it really makes me happy to know that you guys are enjoying this project, and the same goes for kudos and bookmarks too! The support has been absolutely amazing! Until next time! XD</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I don't own Little Witch Academia or any of its characters. They rightfully belong to Trigger.</p>
<p>A/N: Hello again, my lovelies! Here is chapter six, and I hope that you enjoy! I'll leave my rant for the end of the chapter. :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It has been a couple of hours since Diana had departed from the Cavendish Property with her horse.</p>
<p>With the speed she was going, the blonde could feel the wind blowing, making her hair flow behind her in waves. As she rode, Diana began to think of her next course of action...</p>
<p><b>If Akko wasn't anywhere near Wedinburgh, then my other options have to be either Blytonbury or Glastonbury. In her current condition, Akko couldn't have gotten farther than that, regardless of her head start.</b> Diana speculated. <b>Though, theorizing will only get me so far. And admittedly, with those two towns alone... that's a lot of ground to cover by myself. What I need is a local, someone who knows the streets like the back of their own hand, and I think I have the right person in mind for the job.</b></p>
<p>"Let's go, Helios!" The heiress commanded, urging her white stallion to go even faster.</p>
<p>And so, Diana traveled all the way to Blytonbury. It was some time during the afternoon when she arrived at the outskirts of the town, stopping by a particular residence. The young doctor got off and hitched her horse by the entrance of the property, and once she finished Diana made her way over to the front door of the house.</p>
<p>When she did, the blonde knocked on the door and patiently waited for a couple of minutes. It wasn't long until someone came to receive her...</p>
<p>"M-Miss Cavendish?"</p>
<p>Diana smiled in kind and began to greet the older woman, "Good afternoon, Mrs. Kinsley. I trust that you're doing well."</p>
<p>"A-ah yes, yes, I've been well. Thank you for asking!" The golden-haired maiden nodded politely, returning the smile with one of her own. "Um, would you like to come inside for a cup of tea?"</p>
<p>"That would be lovely Mrs. Kinsley, but I'm afraid that my purpose here is not for a casual visit." The heiress lamented to inform. "In fact, I was wondering if you could let me speak to your son, Thomas."</p>
<p>Mrs. Kinsley sighed, rolling her eyes as she leaned against the doorway. "What did my dear Tommy do this time?" She asked, obviously not surprised that her son managed to get himself into trouble again.</p>
<p>"Nothing major, I hope, but that's not why I'm here." Diana shook her head and began to cut to the chase with a brief explanation, "I'm looking for someone, and I was hoping that Thomas could give me some pointers of the town's layout to better my chances in finding my companion."</p>
<p>"Oh, is that all? He obviously isn't here, but let me think..." The older woman brought a hand up to her chin in thought, thinking of all the possible places her son could be at this time of day. "Usually, Tommy and his friends hang out in an abandoned building near south of here. If they're not there, then they're hanging out at a junkyard by Glastonbury. You can't miss 'em."</p>
<p>The young doctor bowed gratefully. "Thank you very much, Mrs. Kinsley. It was really helpful."</p>
<p>"No problem." The golden-haired maiden smiled, and then she remembered something right afterward as she added, "Oh yes, before I forget... Could you please relay a message to my son once you find him? Tell him: Once you help Miss Cavendish, I expect you to be home in time for supper. No buts."</p>
<p>Diana smiled. "I'll be sure to let him know."</p>
<p>Now that she had two destinations in mind, the heiress waved goodbye to the older woman as she got on her horse and left the property. Heading south, Diana decided to scope out the abandoned building since it wasn't far from here.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Meanwhile back at the alleyway in Blytonbury, Akko had finally managed to get back up to her feet.</p>
<p>Every step that the girl took was a shaky one, her left leg clearly shaking in protest whenever the brunette put weight on it. Akko couldn't help herself from imagining her situation with a particular blonde doctor.</p>
<p>If Diana were here with her, Akko would certainly receive the scolding of a lifetime. Probably saying things like, "You're too reckless for your own good." along with, "You insistently keep undoing my work..." and finally, "What am I going to do with you?"</p>
<p>The red-eyed girl chuckled pitifully, leaning against the brick wall. "Yeah, Diana would probably say that..." She spoke longingly while embarrassingly adding, "I still can't believe that I got played by some kids..."</p>
<p>It was truly pathetic. Here she was trying to run away and avoid giving the heiress trouble, but deep down Akko knows that's clearly not true because, knowing Diana, she probably was doing some sort of search party in order to find her...</p>
<p><b>I'm still causing trouble for her anyway...</b> Akko thought with a sigh as she smashed a fist against the brick wall of the alley, wincing a bit from the frustrated action. <b>I'm such a fucking idiot. What the hell am I even doing?</b></p>
<p>As the girl continued to berate herself, Akko got startled when she heard a clock chime throughout the town, echoing for miles around for anyone to hear.</p>
<p>"It's already three o'clock, damn..." The red-eyed girl muttered, impressed on how time seems to fly whenever you're distracted.</p>
<p>And so, Akko slowly headed back out onto the streets. When she stepped out of the alleyway, Akko was surprised to find the street to be mostly empty, which was vastly different from before when she was chasing after the blonde boy. There were a couple of civilians left and they seemed to be heading toward the same direction.</p>
<p>Curious about where they were going, the brunette decided to follow them at her own pace.</p>
<p>Where the small group of civilians led her was quite a sight to behold. It was the center of town square, and the entire place was filled to the brim with Blytonbury citizens. Men, women, even children and the elderly were present. Akko could hear all sorts of chatter around her, all of them sounded very excited about something. She kept hearing things like...</p>
<p><em>"I can't wait for the show to start!"</em> A young woman spoke enthusiastically, clasping her hands in joyful glee.</p>
<p>The man who was standing beside her seemed to agree. <em>"Are you kidding? This is the most thrilling thing that's happened all day!"</em></p>
<p><em>"How many people do you think it's going to be this time?"</em> A small child asked with genuine curiosity.</p>
<p><b>Whoa, I haven't seen these many people excited about a show since...</b> Akko's face settled with a grimace, closing her eyes as she brought a hand up to her temple. She can already feel a headache coming on just thinking about it. <b>That night.</b></p>
<p>
  <em>"Ooh~, it's starting!"</em>
</p>
<p>The brunette opened her eyes in time to see a short man stepping up to a wooden stage in the distance, behind him there were two more men dragging what appeared to be a woman, though Akko couldn't be sure since there was a bag over the person's head.</p>
<p>The miniature old man has balding gray hair and a beard, and he seemed to be a man of importance since he was wearing a black business suit with two buttons on each side while practically barking orders to his associates.</p>
<p>The two men that were there brought their prisoner to the center of the stage, one of them kept a hold of the person while the other removed the bag over the prisoner's head.</p>
<p>Akko had been right, it really was a woman. The poor thing seemed startled on what was currently happening. Her long blonde hair was disheveled and had lost what could have been once a golden color, her baby blue eyes widened in fear, and her face was covered with dirt, scratches, and even bruises. Her hollowed cheekbones and protruded collarbone were prominent. She was possibly tortured.</p>
<p>The men were tying something around the woman's neck, who by this point started struggling, pleading for them to stop, telling them that this was all a mistake.</p>
<p>And what occurred next was something that shocked the red-eyed girl completely, that was the waking moment that she realized this wasn't a “show” at all... it was an execution.</p>
<hr/>
<p>On the other side of town, Diana had Helios on a trot as she passed by the cobblestone streets, keeping a lookout for one of the locations Mrs. Kinsley told her about. This side of Blytonbury seemed a bit isolated compared to the rest of the town, there were almost no people in sight and some if not most of the buildings looked a bit rundown.</p>
<p>Laughter could be heard from one of the old abandoned houses. Stopping, the heiress got off and hitched her horse outside and she cautiously went to investigate.</p>
<p>When Diana entered the threshold of the building, she carefully stepped around gravel and avoided sticky cobwebs as she explored further inside. At one point, laughter ensued once again, and the young doctor stopped near the corner of a wall, peeking ever so often while she listened intently to the building inhabitants...</p>
<p>"Man Thomas, this was the easiest job we had in months!" A big chubby boy commented with a chuckle, taking his red cap off his head in a manner that said, “Good job!” to his leader.</p>
<p>"Aw, it was nothing, Henry!" Thomas bragged, passing his hand through his golden blonde hair in attempt to appear suave. "She was an obvious target. Isn't that right, Danny?" He sent a smug smirk to one of his friends.</p>
<p>Danny snickered. This child was a bit smaller in height compared to his other friends. He had short black hair with bangs that partially covered his eyes. "'Obvious', is right! That girl stuck out like a sore thumb! She's clearly a country bumpkin."</p>
<p>"Her face was absolutely hilarious when Richie made her trip." A brown-haired boy with a ponytail laughed as he held his sides, tears welling up in his eyes from his exertion. “That was a nice one, bro!"</p>
<p>His identical twin, Richie, grinned. "It was nothing, Ricky! And, what got me hysterical was how she kept calling us brats. She was REAL mad, though she seemed to cool off a bit when we threw tomatoes at her."</p>
<p>From her hiding spot, Diana's face settled into a scowl. <b>That isn't very nice...</b> She thought in disapproval, clearly feeling sympathy for the poor girl.</p>
<p>The heiress perked up when she heard one of the boys speak up to their leader, "Hey Thomas, are we going to see the goods we got or what?"</p>
<p>"Don't rush me!"</p>
<p>Curious as to what these goods were, Diana finally decided to peek again at the kids, and her blue eyes widened in surprise when she recognized the fancy satchel bag in Thomas' hands. It bared the family seal of the Cavendishes.</p>
<p><b>It can't be...</b> The young doctor thought in disbelief, and she then realized something else... <b>If they have that bag, then that means they ran into Akko!</b></p>
<p>By this point, Thomas had already emptied the bag of its contents. The boys were clearly disappointed that most of the belongings were nothing but elegant clothing.</p>
<p>Then it was cacophony, four different voices groaning out loud in disappointment for their so-called “reward”...</p>
<p>"What the heck?! My name is Richie, and I was promised riches! These are NOT riches!" Richie was the first one to speak, clearly upset about the outcome.</p>
<p>His twin brother agreed by saying, "Yeah! Where are the gold, silver, and copper coins?!"</p>
<p>"And, here I thought I was going to have a decent allowance..." Henry sighed heavily while he crossed his arms. He then aimed a glare at Danny and said, "I thought you said that she was loaded, but it turns out that she was flat broke!"</p>
<p>"Oh, so you're saying it's MY fault!" The shaggy-haired boy spoke exasperatedly, looking over and checking each and every pocket of the clothes that lay on the old table. "How was I supposed to know?! I did my part! I spotted her, and I could tell from a mile away that she would be an easy target. Not to mention, I did say she was carrying an expensive looking bag. Of course I also fell into the assumption that she was rich, so please forgive me for being human!"</p>
<p>As his gang continued to argue, for once, Thomas had enough as he yelled a loud, "CAN IT!"</p>
<p>That seemed to be enough to gather everyone's attention. The boys kept their traps shut as they gave their leader their undivided attention.</p>
<p>"So we made a boo-boo, big whoop! We can just head to the bazaar market and sell these clothes for a decent amount of cash." The golden-haired child provided a solution, and it was considered to be pure genius among the boys since most of them did an, “Ooh~” sound as they obviously came to the same conclusion as their leader. "And the same goes for the bag. We'll have a generous amount between all of us to share afterward to do whatever we want. The less incriminating evidence against us, the better, am I right?"</p>
<p>It was at this moment that Diana decided to step out of her hiding spot and reveal her presence to the group.</p>
<p>"I'm so sorry to ruin on your parade, but this is as far as you boys will take your robbery attempt." The heiress stated to them, having her hand outstretched. "Especially, since you have something that belongs to me." She added authoritatively, leaving no room for arguments.</p>
<p>The gang looked startled from being caught red-handed, not to mention confused as ever at hearing Diana's sudden claim, except for one...</p>
<p>Thomas stared at the young doctor in shock, looking back and forth between Diana and the satchel bag he still had in his possession. That's when he finally saw the Cavendish Family seal.</p>
<p><b>Aww, crap...!</b> The golden-haired boy thought in panic, officially knowing that he and his friends screwed up big time. He then tried to explain, "M-Miss Diana, it's really not what it looks like!"</p>
<p>Hand still outstretched, Diana arched a perfectly shaped brow at the boy. "I beg to differ, but in this case... I believe you." She spoke in a surprising lenient tone.</p>
<p>Thomas looked up at her once he finished packing the clothes into the bag before handing it to its rightful owner, his green eyes gazing rather intently at Diana, trying to figure out whether or not this was a trick of some sort. "Y-You do?"</p>
<p>Diana couldn't help but shake her head. Thomas Kinsley has always been a troublemaker since she first met him, and there were many times that the heiress can count from the top of her head in where the boy got punished for his mishaps. He's currently reminding Diana of a certain brunette...</p>
<p>"Yes, I do." The heiress gave the boy an honest smile. She then looked up at the rest of his friends for a moment before her face turned serious. "Now, I know that you boys didn't mean to do any harm and that this is your way of having..." Diana paused a bit before continuing, "'Fun', but you need to realize that, sooner or later, not everyone is going to be this lenient just because you're kids..."</p>
<p>Henry scoffed, rolling his eyes as he said, "Big deal! The adults will just sentence us to either the Stocks or the Pillory for a couple of hours."</p>
<p><b>Yeah, for now.</b> The blonde thought with a heavy sigh.</p>
<p>Of course, they were too young to understand what she was trying to say, and Diana found herself hesitating to whether or not tell them of the potential consequences in the future if their actions do not seize.</p>
<p>Personally, the young doctor hasn't experienced any of the humiliating and sometimes cruel punishments firsthand, but she has seen enough to know that it's not a very pleasant way to go about your day under <em><span class="u"><b>ANY</b></span></em> circumstances.</p>
<p>In the end, she decided not to terrify them.</p>
<p>"I just don't want you boys to get in trouble." Diana spoke gently, raising her hands up in defense. "Let's make a deal: In exchange for my silence, I want you boys to help me find my companion."</p>
<p>The twins looked at the heiress as if she grew two heads. "That's it?" They said in unison, "This is almost too easy. We don't like it." The brothers spoke with clear suspicions in their voices, not liking where this was going at all.</p>
<p>The blonde smiled to reassure them as she clarified by saying, "That's it."</p>
<p>"That's nice and all lady, but we don't even know how your friend looks like." Danny stated, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jacket.</p>
<p>"Hmm, if I recall from your earlier conversation..." Diana trailed off purposely, letting the boys think and connect the dots for themselves.</p>
<p>Luckily, she didn't have to wait for very long as Thomas figured it out.</p>
<p>The golden-haired boy groaned out loud, "She's the dupe we robbed...! What were the odds of that?" He asked to no one in particular, rolling his eyes in annoyance.</p>
<p>"Long, brown hair. Deep, red eyes. A childish attitude with a temper to flare..." The heiress listed off a couple of the brunette's qualities, deep down restraining herself to not mention the word “cute” anywhere on that list. "And, everything you boys said about her earlier described her to a T." She then quickly added, "Oh, and she's no country bumpkin."</p>
<p>"So, the gist is that you wanted to seek me out so that my friends and I could help you find this girl." Thomas summarized as he sat down on a broken pillar, hunching a bit in his seat.</p>
<p>"That's correct." Diana confirmed, passing a hand through her wavy tresses. "And, in exchange for my silence, I'm expecting that you will all give her a sincere apology for what you did."</p>
<p>The gang yelled out an exasperated, "WHAT?!"</p>
<p>"You heard me."</p>
<p>"I'd rather be scolded and grounded by my mum." The golden-haired boy retorted in defiance while crossing his arms. He then thought about what he said for a moment and ultimately decided to re-phrase his statement. "On second thought, I think the Stocks or the Pillory sounds better." He insisted stubbornly.</p>
<p>It seemed that the lad needed a nudge, and Diana was more than happy to oblige. "By the way, I'm also here to relay a message to you from your mother. She said and I quote: 'Once you finish helping Miss Cavendish, I expect you to be home in time for supper. No buts.'"</p>
<p>The kids snickered at the mention of Thomas' mom, which of course caused their leader to grumble as he tried to fight off the fierce blush that took over his cheeks by the storm.</p>
<p>"Fine...! We'll take the deal, we'll help, and we'll apologize. You happy now?" Thomas admitted defeat to the heiress.</p>
<p>Diana gave a satisfied smile and said, "Let's get this search party underway, shall we?"</p>
<hr/>
<p>Akko felt numb, and it was not because of her current injury. Everything felt so surreal, almost to the point where the brunette wished she hadn't witnessed what she did a couple of hours ago...</p>
<p>When it was all over, it started to rain. Everyone that attended the public execution dispersed and went about their day as usual while Akko remained in the same spot. Her wide, shocked, and frightened red eyes kept staring at the hollow shell of what was once a human being.</p>
<p>When it was all said and done, the mayor hadn't even bothered to tell his men to cut the poor woman down. They just left her body there, swinging uselessly every now and then for everyone to see as a cruel reminder of what happens when people don't abide by the rules. Or, more like for being an abnormality in this case.</p>
<p>According to the mayor, the blonde woman was accused of doing witchcraft. Whether it was true or not, the woman's supposed crime wasn't even a crime at all to Akko's standards.</p>
<p>Eventually, Akko managed to snap out of her trance long enough to walk out of there and headed to the alleyway once again. She couldn't bare walk the same streets as those... <em><b>monsters.</b></em></p>
<p>But, can she even call them that knowing that she's a monster as well?</p>
<p>The red-eyed girl was so stunned by what was happening that she didn't even try to stop it. She just stood there and watched it happen. Her whole body was frozen, her legs wouldn't move, her mouth didn't even open to try and make the madness stop. Instead, she just... let it happen.</p>
<p>And oh, how she wished that the poor woman's suffering would've ended in an instant. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case...</p>
<p>It was unpleasant to watch, and Akko hoped that she wouldn't have to witness something like that ever again.</p>
<p>The brunette stopped walking. She closed her eyes and brought a shaking hand to cover up her mouth, trying her best to choke back a sob but obviously failed to do so.</p>
<p>She didn't want to be here.</p>
<p>She wanted to go home.</p>
<p>She wanted to be with...</p>
<p>A caw sounded off in the distance, making Akko open her eyes and look up. In the midst of the falling rain, the brunette managed to see a pure white feather falling from the sky, and Akko could see it perfectly as time seemed to crawl at an all-time slow.</p>
<p>That's when the red-eyed girl saw it. A white crow with a yellow four-pointed star in its stomach. It flew north of the alleyway, and Akko maintained it in her line of sight. The crow spread its wings, flapping them a bit as it prepared to land, and when it did, it landed on the left shoulder of a mysterious woman.</p>
<p>The woman has long dark blue hair that was tied in a low ponytail and she has it over her right shoulder. She has a fair complexion, and deep red eyes as Akko's own but obscured with a pair of glasses. Her outfit seemed the adventurous type, though Akko couldn't really tell since the woman had a white cloak covering most of her body to shield her from the rain.</p>
<p>Akko's eyes widened in shock, looking behind her before turning back again to look at the older woman.</p>
<p><b>Where the heck did she come from?</b> The brunette wondered, initially thinking she had been alone.</p>
<p>Akko wasn't able to contemplate for long as the mysterious woman suddenly mouthed something before she started running towards her. It was almost as if the woman had called Akko's name, sounding relieved, and her face looked excited while she ran up to the teen.</p>
<p>The red-eyed girl squinted her eyes a bit in confusion. <b>Do I know her from somewhere?</b></p>
<p>Once again, time seemed to crawl at an all-time slow, and the moment she blinked... It was over as arms wrapped around Akko's small frame, bringing her close into an embrace.</p>
<p>Akko closed her eyes for a bit, taking the sensation in. It was warm. Very warm. When she opened her eyes again, the brunette was surprised to see platinum blond hair instead of dark blue...</p>
<p>"D-Diana?" Akko's voice came out as a mere shaky whisper, shivering a bit as a result of the cold rain.</p>
<p>At the sound of her name, Diana pulled away from the embrace. Her blue eyes looked the brunette over, a thin frown appearing on her face once she noticed the condition of Akko's leg, and for some reason, Akko felt herself shrink under her intense gaze.</p>
<p>In the end, the heiress just sighed and asked, "Are you okay?"</p>
<p>"Y-yeah, I'm okay." The red-eyed girl nodded for emphasis, looking over Diana's shoulder to the north of the alleyway. The mysterious woman was gone... "Um, Diana, this may sound like a strange question but... Did you see a woman with blue hair?"</p>
<p>Confusion was evident on the blonde's features, looking behind her for a moment before staring back at Akko once again. "What woman? Akko, it's just the two of us here."</p>
<p>"B-But, I thought I saw..."</p>
<p>"Nevermind that now." Diana gently interrupted her, taking hold of Akko's hands in her own. "It's raining, it's cold, and you're absolutely freezing. Let's just go home. We can talk as much as you want there, that is..." She paused, hesitating for a bit before she continued, "If you want to go back with me."</p>
<p>It sounded almost like a desperate plea and who was Akko to deny that simple request. Quite frankly, after the long day she had, the brunette would be a fool to say otherwise...</p>
<p>"Yes..." Akko whimpered, feeling tears streaming down her face. She then threw herself onto the heiress, sobbing against Diana's shoulder, hiccuping every so often. "I-I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Diana..."</p>
<p><b>Oh, Akko...</b> The young doctor thought with extreme concern for the girl in her arms.</p>
<p>It was a long day indeed for the both of them with Diana practically going on a wild goose chase to search for the brunette, and Akko trying to run somewhere far away. They were both exhausted and soaked to the bone because of the rainy weather, but surprisingly neither of them cared at the moment. They were just happy to see each other again, and they wouldn't have it any other way. Everything else could wait.</p>
<p>Akko gasped in suddenly when she felt herself being scooped up from the ground, being carried in Diana's arms, and without a moment to spare the heiress started walking out of the alley.</p>
<p>The red-eyed girl felt herself blush in embarrassment, burying her face at the crook of Diana's neck.</p>
<p>A roaming hand reached for the back of Akko's knees, causing her voice to come out in a nervous squeak, "D-Diana, w-what are you doing?" She asked timidly, her hands clenching onto the blonde's jacket.</p>
<p>"Carrying you." Diana answered as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.</p>
<p>"Y-you don't have to! I can walk! Really!" The brunette spoke insistently, struggling a bit but Diana had a firm grip on her with no intention of letting her go. "Please, put me down!"</p>
<p>"In your current condition, I highly doubt it." The blonde denied her request. She then began to chastise the girl, though Akko could tell that there was a hint of a small smile on Diana's lips. "You seem to like to insistently undo my work, and I won't have you overexert yourself more than you already have."</p>
<p>At hearing that, Akko finally resigned herself to her fate and just relaxed in Diana's arms, or more like tried not to have a nervous breakdown.</p>
<p>"A-Are you sure that I'm not heavy?" The brunette felt her ears burn for saying that out loud.</p>
<p>Akko felt the heiress chuckle as she replied, "Not at all."</p>
<p>There was just one question left...</p>
<p>"Where are we going?"</p>
<p>It was a silly question to be sure, but one that the red-eyed girl wouldn't mind to hear a response to.</p>
<p>"Home."</p>
<p>Home. That had a very nice ring to it. And as long as Diana wanted her to stay, then Akko will stay for as long as it takes.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A/N2: That's it for chapter 6 folks! Our poor Akko may have suffered a bit of a traumatic and stressful day, but at least she got reunited with Diana at the end. Hooray! Just to be clear: I meant hooray for their reunion, not Akko's suffering. Speaking of this chapter, here's a little refresher of function/purpose for these particular historical devices...</p>
<p>The stocks consist of placing boards around the ankles and wrists, whereas in the pillory the boards are fixed to a pole and placed around the arms and neck, forcing the punished to stand. Some consider the stocks and the pillory to be an example of torture and cruel and unusual punishment. Victims may be insulted, kicked, tickled, spat on, or subjected to other inhumane acts, of which we'll see in a future chapter along with further detailed information.</p>
<p>Anyways, that's it for now. As always, please let me know how I did on your comments for this chapter. Let me read what's on your mind! I don't bite, I can take criticism, I can take praise and support. Anything to make things exciting for you all, and that especially includes kudos and Bookmarks as well. They make me happy, seeing comments also make me happy. I look forward to those, and they make my day.</p>
<p>STAY TUNED! One more drama chapter before this train takes a break! Until next time! :D</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Discussions & Expectations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I don't own Little Witch Academia or any of its characters. They rightfully belong to Trigger.</p>
<p>A/N: Wohoo~! Update! Am I right?! Here's the newest chapter, as promised, from yours truly. I hope you guys and gals enjoy it! X3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As soon as the rain let up, the girls headed back to Wedinburgh. It was quite late when they arrived at the manor, most of the lights were out and there's definitely no doubt that the servants had finally retired for the evening, or so they thought...</p>
<p>Diana led Helios by the reigns, guiding the horse toward the stables, and when she looked up she was surprised to see Anna and Carter waiting up for them.</p>
<p>The heiress was quite taken aback from seeing them. “Anna, Carter, I appreciate the thought, really I do, but I did say that you didn't have to wait for me.” She reminded them.</p>
<p>“We know, milady, but we wanted to.” Carter insisted with a small smile while he held Helios' reigns, gently taking them away from Diana's possession. “It didn't feel right to retire for the night knowing that our mistress has yet to return home.” The old man then looked at Akko, who was shyly clinging onto the blonde's arm this entire time. “It's good to see that you returned to us as well, young miss.”</p>
<p>The brunette buried her face onto Diana's shoulder, answering with a timid, “T-thank you...”</p>
<p>“I, for one, was very worried and I was right to be! You poor girls are soaked to the bone!” Anna fretted as she headed over and gently started ushering the girls toward the manor.</p>
<p>The young doctor for once was very startled when her head maid decided to take charge, resisting a bit from being pushed around. “P-please Anna, you don't have to do that! Akko and I are very capable of taking care of ourselves.”</p>
<p>“Nonsense!” Anna's voice thundered loud and clear, her voice obviously leaving no room for insubordination, which in turn caused the girls to flinch. “As a proud servant of the House of Cavendish, I am willing to dedicate myself to the well being of every member of this household as well as honored guests.”</p>
<p>As the girls were being ushered away, the butler waved goodbye before he turned around and started leading the white stallion toward the stables. “Don't you worry, milady. I'll tend Helios for you, and leave you ladies in Anna's capable hands.” He reassured with a yell over his shoulder.</p>
<p>Diana just sighed as she resigned herself to her fate, and Akko couldn't help but giggle a bit from her reaction.</p>
<p>It was good to be home.</p>
<hr/>
<p>After Anna ensured that the girls were bathed, fed, and dressed in comfortable clothing, Diana finally managed to convince the head maid to retire for the night. Akko's wound had been taken care of and the girl was snuggled up in bed, fast asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow. Diana wasn't surprised to see that since the brunette walked around all day with practically no breaks, and of course she deserved the rest.</p>
<p>Instead of following Akko's example completely, the heiress only did half of it as she simply decided to lay down on her bed and started reading a novel. Diana was about done reading chapter two when she heard a knock on her bedroom door...</p>
<p><b>Who on earth is still awake at this hour?</b> The young doctor wondered while she closed her novel and laid it on the bedside table. She pushed the blankets aside and wearily got out of bed.</p>
<p>When Diana answered the door she was certainly shocked to see the brunette to the point where she let out a confused, “Akko?”</p>
<p>“Hey, Diana...”</p>
<p>The red-eyed girl stood in the hallway wearing a pink colored nightgown, which the heiress used to wear when she was much younger, but not anymore. It was a perfect fit. Akko looked absolutely adorable in Diana's eyes. The blonde must've been staring a bit too much because the brunette simply blushed, trying her best to hide her face into the pillow that she was hugging to her chest. Akko was child-like in so many ways that the young doctor can't help but think...</p>
<p><b>She's so cute.</b> Diana thought adoringly, cooing on the inside while she brought a hand up to cover up her eyes. She'd definitely wouldn't mind getting a doze or two of Akko's cuteness, in fact, the blonde tries to make it into a daily goal of sorts, but now wasn't the time for such thoughts.</p>
<p>Diana dropped her hand back to her side and shook her head, giving the girl her undivided attention. “Is something wrong, Akko? Are you feeling ill?” She asked in concern.</p>
<p>“Yes, and no...” The brunette answered timidly, avoiding Diana's gaze.</p>
<p>Hearing Akko's shy answer caused the heiress to start jumping to conclusions as she asked, “Is your leg bothering you? Did I tie your bandages too tight?” Diana was clearly fretting by this point. “Did you catch a cold?” She quickly brought a hand up to Akko's forehead, checking her temperature. “Hmm, you don't seem to have a fever.”</p>
<p>Meanwhile the brunette simply stood, feeling paralyzed due to the blonde's close proximity. Akko was trying not to suffer a nervous breakdown, reminding herself that breathing was a necessary action. “N-no, it's not any of those things...” She managed to say.</p>
<p>Luckily, the red-eyed girl didn't have to freak out for long since Diana took a step back.</p>
<p>The young doctor stared at her with a worried and curious look, seemingly at a loss on why Akko was here. “Well then, if you're not here for a medical problem... What seems to be bothering you?”</p>
<p>“I can't sleep.”</p>
<p>“Well, I certainly wasn't expecting that, especially with how late it is.” Diana admitted bluntly without realization, clearly caught off guard from the sudden statement.</p>
<p>“I know, and I'm sorry...” The brunette apologized guiltily, subconsciously squeezing the pillow in her arms. “I tried, and I tried, but I keep waking up anyway.”</p>
<p>Now, it was the blonde's turn to feel guilty. She didn't mean it like that, and she certainly didn't want to upset Akko for something so harmless.</p>
<p>Diana passed a hand through her wavy tresses, trying to gain back some form of composure and decided to make it up to her by saying, “Very well, you're spending the night with me.”</p>
<p>The red-eyed girl looked surprised, finally staring up at her savior. “A-are you sure?” She asked.</p>
<p>“Quite sure.” The heiress gave her a kind smile, stepping aside a bit to let Akko in her room.</p>
<p>The moment that Akko stepped into Diana's room she let her eyes wander while she looked around Diana's personal space. It was certainly bigger than the moderate guest room the brunette was staying in. There was a large bed, a dresser, a vanity table, a desk, and a couple of bookshelves filled with so many complicated titles that Akko couldn't even begin to comprehend.</p>
<p>And almost in an instant, the red-eyed girl really felt out of place, suddenly feeling nervous. She subconsciously started heading toward a corner of the room and laid down on the floor, facing the wall.</p>
<p>“Akko, what are you doing?”</p>
<p>Akko tensed up, feeling a shiver go down her spine the moment she was called. When she finally dared to turn around, the brunette noticed that Diana was already in bed, arms crossed and with a fierce look of disapproval on her face.</p>
<p>The young girl swallowed rather heavily, her tongue feeling numb all of a sudden, but regardless of this fact Akko managed to mutter, “...Um, laying down?”</p>
<p>“On the floor?” The heiress spoke incredulously, raising one perfectly shaped brow in amusement.</p>
<p>The red-eyed girl gave a slow nod, quietly replying, “Yes...”</p>
<p><b>This girl.</b> Diana had to resist the urge not to roll her eyes at the girl's childishness, and instead she merely shook her head and gently patted on the free space beside her on the bed. “Stop being silly, and get over here. You're not sleeping on the floor.”</p>
<p>“I-it's okay, I don't mind...!”</p>
<p>Unfortunately for the brunette, the blonde was having none of it. “<em><b>Akko.</b></em>”</p>
<p>Akko squeaked an, “Okay, okay!” in fright when she hesitantly made her way over. She settled down on the young doctor's bed, but noticeably kept her distance from Diana since the red-eyed girl was practically on the edge of the mattress.</p>
<p>After that ridiculous chatter, awkward silence fell between them.</p>
<p>The heiress didn't know what hurt more: Akko's distance, or the girl's attitude. Maybe both? Regardless of what it was, it inexplicably left a twinge of heartache inside her chest. In all honesty, Diana wasn't surprised since there seemed to be an invisible wall between them as of late.</p>
<p>The question is... Why?</p>
<p>The blonde sighed heavily, leaning back against the headboard of her bed and looked at Akko from the corner of her eye. The red-eyed girl was impossibly stiff from her side of the bed, either too nervous being near Diana or too scared of laying down to the point where the young doctor wondered if the girl was actually even breathing let along blinking, but Akko remained still as a statue.</p>
<p>Akko couldn't sleep for some reason, Akko arrived unannounced by her door, both of which gave the heiress the impression that the brunette wanted some company, and yet Akko was acting strange. Very strange.</p>
<p>Obviously, by this point, Diana couldn't bear it anymore and so she broke the deafening silence by saying, “Akko, be honest with me...” She paused for a moment in hesitation before continuing, “Did I do something wrong?”</p>
<p>Akko's reaction was immediate, suddenly snapping out of her tense posture and made eye contact with Diana, quickly responding, “What?! No, of course not!”</p>
<p>“Then, would you care to explain why you've been acting quite skittish around me lately?” The blonde genuinely asked her, feeling slight relieve but still felt a bit unconvinced from hearing the girl's answer, and so she pressed further by stating, “Don't think that I haven't noticed. You've been acting strange ever since we started with your rehab.”</p>
<p>The brunette's mouth went shut the moment Diana threw her accusation, further proving the young doctor's point, and so Akko avoided Diana's gaze once again.</p>
<p>What ultimately broke Diana's self-control were the girl's next words...</p>
<p>“<em><b>I don't know what you're talking about.</b></em>”</p>
<p><b>Did she really just-</b> The heiress didn't even finish her thought because she was outraged, clearly the thin line that was called “patience” literally snapped and Diana let her emotions take over by yelling, “Stop fucking lying!”</p>
<p>Akko looked at the blonde in surprise, quite taken aback from the abrupt change in attitude. “D-Diana!”</p>
<p>“Don't, 'Diana!' me!” The blonde fumed, “Stop playing dumb, and stop avoiding the subject! You know EXACTLY what I'm talking about, Akko!” She then started bombarding the girl with questions, hoping that maybe Akko will crack under pressure and spill the beans. “Why did you leave? Was it because of me? Did I do something wrong?”</p>
<p>“No! You didn't do anything wrong, Diana!” The red-eyed girl answered fiercely as she shook her head in emphasis, meeting Diana's glare with one of her own.</p>
<p>“Then, why did you leave the manor? Surely, there must be SOME reason behind your actions!”</p>
<p>“I-I...”</p>
<p>“You've been acting distant lately ever since we've started your rehab, not to mention that you've left so suddenly.” The young doctor repeated the facts once again, and she began to elaborate, “Your room was a complete mess, most of my belongings were gone, and...” Diana trailed off a bit as a sad look took over her noble features, her scowl diminishing altogether. “I'll be frank with you, Akko. I'm not mad that you did any of those things, but what really hurt me the most was that...you left without saying goodbye.” She admitted softly to the girl.</p>
<p>As soon as her anger had left, the heiress started crying. And for the first time in her life, the brunette had never really felt the need to berate herself more than she did now. It felt as if someone had punched Akko in the stomach, and they continued to do so because it felt damn near impossible to breathe.</p>
<p>Akko knew that she had made Diana worry and unintentionally caused her some trouble, but Akko never imagined that she would ever <em><b>hurt</b></em> Diana for doing something like this.</p>
<p>For as long as she had known the blonde, Akko saw her as this confident, wonderful, and caring goddess, with looks to match. Diana had done a lot for her since they first met, and she always did so with a kind smile, and all the red-eyed girl did in return was crush that kindness beneath her heel. Crushing that precious, precious trust and practically threw everything away just because she ran...</p>
<p>Akko felt absolutely ashamed and horrified all the same, and for once she didn't know what to do, but she knew that she couldn't leave things like this.</p>
<p>“I... I'm sorry...” The brunette apologized, slowly bringing a hand up to Diana's face, and deep down she felt grateful at the fact that Diana didn't pull away from her touch, letting Akko to gently brush the tears away with her thumb. Though, Akko knew that she didn't even deserve such kindness by this point. “It's just that I was so upset knowing that I'm causing nothing but trouble for you...”</p>
<p>“Trouble? Akko, don't be silly, you haven't done anything of the sort.” The young doctor reassured, sniffling a bit.</p>
<p>Akko retracted her hand away while she chuckled, though it held no humor in it as she grumbled, “Your aunt doesn't seem to think so...”</p>
<p><b>Aunt Daryl?</b> Diana's brows furrowed at the mention of her aunt, somehow managing to gain her composure back as she asked, “What about her?”</p>
<p>“I heard her, both of you actually. It was on the night when we finished my first rehab session. The two of you were arguing.”</p>
<p><b>Bloody hell...</b> The heiress closed her eyes in silent frustration. It was as she and her aunt feared, but there was one question that was of the upmost of importance. She needed to know... “...Akko, how much did you hear?”</p>
<p>“I didn't hear everything, if that's what you're asking.” The red-eyed girl answered honestly. “I just know that your aunt wasn't very happy of me staying here, and I heard you saying stuff about me being your responsibility and some kind of deal...” Her voice quivered a bit as she brought a hand up to her chest, clenching the material of her nightgown with an angry fist. “And, after hearing all that... I decided to grant your aunt's wish and simply left to alleviate your burden-”</p>
<p>Akko's red eyes widened in surprise when she felt arms wrap around her small frame, bringing her close to an embrace. The brunette was a bit tense at first, not at all expecting a hug, but she soon found herself relaxing in Diana's arms. She let the older girl's warmth flood her senses, almost as if Akko was being covered by a warm blanket, which made her feel safe and comfortable.</p>
<p>Akko's eyes drifted shut, breathing slowly as she merely concentrated on the beat of Diana's heart. Despite it's gentle rhythm, the red-eyed girl noticed that it was beating faster all the same, which made Akko wonder if the heiress was nervous.</p>
<p>“Akko, you are not a burden, you never have been.” Diana assured her patient, unconsciously tightening her hold on the girl.</p>
<p>“I know, I heard you say that when you were bickering with your aunt, but...” The brunette sighed, “I don't know. A part of me was just upset over the whole ordeal, and when I got to Blytonbury, it made me realize just how stupid my actions were.”</p>
<p>Diana gently laid her head on top of Akko's, doing small circles on the girl's back as a form of comfort. “You couldn't have known, and I suppose that this was my fault too. Forgive me, I should've been honest with you from the start.” She apologized.</p>
<p>“That goes double for me.” The red-eyed girl said in agreement.</p>
<p>“That's all in the past now.” The blonde smiled, ensuring that all was forgiven before she finally released her hold on the girl, much to Akko's disappointment because Diana could've sworn she saw a hint of a pout on her lips. “I'm just glad that you're safe.”</p>
<p>Akko merely nods, a yawn escaping through her lips in exhaustion. She then brought her hands up to her face, trying to rub her eyes in a vain attempt to hold off sleep.</p>
<p>“I suppose it's time for bed. It is quite late.” Diana said knowingly, reaching and hovering over the brunette for the candle holder that was on the bedside table. Picking it up, the young doctor gently blew on it, putting out the flame and casting her bedroom in complete darkness.</p>
<p>A comforting silence fell between the girls as they got settled in bed, and the heiress was just about to feel the remnants of sleep claim her when...</p>
<p>“Diana?” Akko called out, her voice filled with uncertainty of not knowing if her savior had fallen asleep yet.</p>
<p>Diana hummed a bit, maneuvering herself to lay on her right side so that she could see the girl clearly, or as clearly as she could in the present darkness. “Yes, Akko?”</p>
<p>“Can I... snuggle with you?”</p>
<p>The blonde's mouth went agape, clearly at a loss for words at this sudden predicament. If her face wasn't red before, then it certainly was now.</p>
<p>Diana thanked the Nine Old Witches that Akko couldn't see her blush at all in the dark. She opened and closed her mouth several times, but no words seemed to come to her aid, and so she settled with what she hoped was a confident hum in an obvious show that she didn't trust her own voice at the moment.</p>
<p>The young Cavendish could feel the mattress shift as Akko moved closer, and she tensed up a bit when she felt the brunette's arm wrap around her waist. Akko had curled up against Diana's side, tucking her head under the heiress' chin while muttering a soft, “Thank you.” before she finally drifted off to sleep.</p>
<p>For a while, the young doctor remained awake. Feeling the girl's warmth, and simply listening to Akko's soft snores as she slept, her warm breath tickling Diana's neck.</p>
<p><b>Not that I'm complaining, but I certainly won't be getting any sleep tonight...</b> Diana thought to herself in content, but still feeling nervous all the same. She didn't know which one was worse: The supposed butterflies fluttering in her stomach, or her heart practically hammering inside her chest.</p>
<p>Regardless of it all, it felt nice. Bit by bit, the blonde relaxed into the smaller body that was wrapped around her, and her eyelids started to feel heavy with exhaustion.</p>
<p>Before she surrendered to slumber, Diana kissed the top of Akko's head, her last thought of the night being, <b>Goodnight, Akko.</b></p>
<hr/>
<p>The following day the girls had woken up past noon, which was no surprise considering how late it was when the girls decided to go to sleep. Diana was a bit horrified about that fact because she had never slept in like that before in her life. After the heiress experienced her slight shock, she happily suggested that the two of them should get dressed and head downstairs for lunch.</p>
<p>When they finished their delicious meal, Carter kindly cleared off their plates from the table, and soon after the doors to the dining hall had opened as Anna entered. The older woman's steps were filled with a sense of purpose as if she was on a mission, and Diana noticed.</p>
<p>“Good day to you, Anna. How are you today?” The young doctor greeted her.</p>
<p>“Good day to you too, milady. I am doing well, thank you.” Anna responded in kind as always while bowing in respect. “I'm sorry to interrupt, but I am here to inform you that Lady Daryl requires your presence...” She lamented to inform, straightening up to her normal posture. She then looked at Akko as she added, “Yours as well, Honored Guest.”</p>
<p>The brunette's eyes widened in both surprise and fear, uttering a nervous, “M-me too?”</p>
<p>“Do you know what for?” Diana asked her maid, feeling her face settle into a scowl. Anything that concerned her aunt was never good news.</p>
<p>“I'm afraid that Lady Daryl didn't share any details with me about the matter, milady.” The head maid answered honestly, feeling a bit disappointed that she couldn't help further on the matter. “I'll be waiting outside to escort you girls to the living room whenever you're ready.”</p>
<p>The blonde nodded in understanding. “Thank you, Anna.”</p>
<p>Anna bowed to them again before she left the room, and an uneasy silence fell between the girls over the news they've just received...</p>
<p>“What does your aunt want to talk about, and why does she want me to be there too?” Akko asked her savior, all of a sudden feeling anxious while she fiddled with the napkins on the table.</p>
<p>“I'm wondering that myself...” Diana muttered, bringing a hand up to her chin in thought. Her blue eyes narrowed a bit in irritation with only one thought crossing through her mind, <b>I don't like this.</b></p>
<p>But no matter how much she thought about it, the young doctor knew that they weren't going to accomplish anything if they stayed here.</p>
<p>“We can't beat around the bush, so let's just get this over with...” Diana sighed as she rose up from her chair. She then sent a reassuring glance toward her patient, hoping that it will ease Akko's nerves a little. “Just try not to be nervous, and if it's okay with you, let me handle the talking. My aunt can be rather... difficult and a bit intimidating upon first meeting.”</p>
<p>“O-okay!”</p>
<p>The heiress seemed to despise her choice of words since Akko already started to tear napkins by this point, obviously needing something to distract her trembling hands.</p>
<p>Diana sighed heavily, bringing a hand up to pinch the bridge of her nose. In truth, she couldn't fault the girl for being nervous, but at the rate she was going, Diana's tableware isn't going to survive at this rate...</p>
<hr/>
<p>After pleading and scolding Akko into sparing Diana's tableware, the girls led themselves be escorted by Anna throughout the mansion, eventually arriving to their destination.</p>
<p>The head maid raised a hand, her knuckles rapping against the white doors to the living room. “Lady Daryl, I have brought Miss Cavendish and her Honored Guest upon your request.” She spoke, announcing their arrival.</p>
<p>There was a pause before an authoritative voice from the other side replied with curt, <em>“You may enter.”</em></p>
<p>When she was granted permission to enter, Anna opened the doors to the living room, and ushered Diana and Akko inside.</p>
<p>The room was enormous, just like Diana's bedroom, only bigger. But it looked different. There were more decorative pieces and objects of fancy. Flowers blossomed in the buckets on every sill of the windows. But somehow despite it all, the massive furniture did nothing to mask the coldness it emanated.</p>
<p>Devoid of joy and mirth, Akko felt like she was being sucked into a darkness. The room had another hall separated from the main one, and there was Diana's aunt, sitting on one of the armchairs with a scowl resembling a gargoyle marble statue.</p>
<p>Daryl nodded in satisfaction. “You may leave, Anna.”</p>
<p>The head maid bowed respectfully and excused herself as she departed, closing the doors behind her.</p>
<p>Once her maid left, Diana was the first one to speak, “Good day to you, Aunt Daryl.” She greeted the elder Cavendish. She then began to cut to the chase by asking, “May I ask why you have summoned us so suddenly?”</p>
<p>“So, you're the special commoner that my niece is so fixated about lately?” Daryl asked a question of her own, completely ignoring her niece as she let her cold gaze fall solely on Akko. “What's your name, girl?”</p>
<p>“A-Atsuko Kagari, but you can me Akko, m-ma'am!” The red-eyed girl managed to stammer nervously while surprisingly maintaining eye contact with Diana's aunt, fiddling with her skirt a bit as a distraction.</p>
<p>The woman sitting before her was nothing at all like Diana. In family resemblance perhaps, but that's literally it. To Akko, Daryl Cavendish was nothing but intimidating. Nothing about the older woman's demeanor showed warmth of any kind.</p>
<p>Instead, all Akko could see was a cold, calculated, determination to achieve what she wants. Overall, the brunette knew that Daryl Cavendish was someone who she would not want to cross under any circumstances...</p>
<p><b>Hmph. At least she has some manners, I'll give her that.</b> The proxy head thought with small praise, her icy stare falling down to the girl's injury. “How's your leg?”</p>
<p>Akko jumped a bit from the sudden question. “O-oh, um, it's getting better!” She answered, softly admitting,“Though, I still have a bit of a limp...”</p>
<p>“Hmm. Do you think you can work on it?”</p>
<p>“W-work?”</p>
<p>“<em><b>Work...!</b>”</em> Diana repeated, whispering that word in disapproval. “Aunt Daryl, if I may say so, don't you think that this is a bit unnecessary? Akko isn't well enough to do physical labor. I think that-”</p>
<p>“I am talking to Miss Kagari, not you, Diana.” Daryl interrupted her niece, still maintaining her gaze on the brunette. “Now, I will ask you again: Do you think you can work on it?”</p>
<p>Akko was put on the spot, looking at Diana from the corner of her eye every so often. The blonde did say that she would do all the talking, but it seemed that her aunt had different plans...</p>
<p>The young girl stuttered, clearly at a loss for words. “...I-I...”</p>
<p>“I'll be frank with you: My patience is wearing thin, and the way I see it, you only have two options...” The elder Cavendish stated as she propped her left arm on the armrest, leaning her head against her fist. Her face had a serious and yet bored expression, her tone of voice being all business-like as she spoke, “Either you decide to stay with us and work as a servant in the House of Cavendish to earn your keep, or I can make arrangements with a dear friend of mine to send you off to live in a secluded forest somewhere along the countryside and peacefully live the rest of your days there. Which one shall it be?”</p>
<p>Diana looked beyond displeased at hearing these options, and so she felt the need to speak up to say, “Aunt Daryl, that hardly seems fair...”</p>
<p>“Don't you talk to me about being fair! Regardless of Miss Kagari's decision, she will be treated fairly and paid immensely in compensation. Where is the wrong in that? I simply refuse to keep a freeloader and potential threat in our midst.” Daryl answered honestly, straightening and rising up from her armchair.</p>
<p>The older woman then crossed her arms, and with each step she took towards the teenage girls, Akko had to remember two things: Breathing, and resist the urge of running away... again.</p>
<p>Once Daryl was close enough, the clicking of heels stopped as the older woman uncrossed her arms and laid her hands on her hips, leaning forward a bit to glare at her niece...</p>
<p>“But, if you wanna say I'm being unfair, then I have absolutely no problem in notifying the city guards in Blytonbury. They'll happily arrest Miss Kagari for theft, take her to Appleton for a trial, and she will most likely spend days, possibly months, in the dungeons.” The proxy head told her niece without remorse, and her voice went menacingly lower as she continued, “Stealing from influential families like the Cavendishes, the Hanbridges and so on are very, very terrible offenses around these parts. I wouldn't be surprised if they, let's say, cut off something important... or maybe, sentence Miss Kagari for an execution.”</p>
<p>As soon as she finished hearing Daryl's words, Akko's mind flashed back during her brief time in Blytonbury, and subconsciously the brunette brought a hand up to her throat in fright as she thought of the poor blonde woman...</p>
<p><b>You monster...!</b> Diana thought with vile resentment, glaring at her aunt. Manipulating Akko's actions through fear was just inexcusable!</p>
<p><b>Does this woman even have a heart?! I won't be able to survive in prison, let alone an execution! I'm being severely judged here! I mean, I <em>KIND</em> of deserve it, but still!</b> The red-eyed girl thought with genuine panic, clenching her jaw to keep herself grounded. <b>And to think that Diana has to deal with not only her, but also her petty cousins on a daily basis...! There's simply no way that I'll be able to live alone in the middle of nowhere, and even if I did, would I be able to see Diana again?</b></p>
<p>With that thought in mind, Akko turned her head to the side to glance at the blonde, who met her gaze. Red eyes met with blue for a moment, both of them wanted to say so many things, but ultimately it was Diana who broke eye contact by closing her eyes as she shook her head.</p>
<p>And then, the young doctor opened her eyes and gave the brunette a kind smile. “Akko, it's okay.” She reassured, seemingly coming to peace with what came next. “I'll support you on whatever you decide.”</p>
<p>Diana may not know it, but her kind smile was enough to fill Akko's courage, and if things weren't so tense, the red-eyed girl would've showed a broad grin to boost her confidence.</p>
<p><b>Well, since I have your blessing, I'll chose the bearable choice...</b> Akko made her decision.</p>
<p>“What shall it be? I'm a very busy woman, and I don't have all day!” Daryl haughtily complained, stamping her foot impatiently as she waited for the girl to make a decision.</p>
<p>What surprised the Cavendishes the most was the fact that Akko had willingly fallen to her knees, leaning forward in a bow...</p>
<p>“I'll... humbly serve the House of Cavendish.” The brunette spoke firmly, making her choice. “I will happily work and earn my keep here, especially since I...” She paused while she sat back on her knees, staring up at the heiress with a smile as she continued, “Have a life debt to repay the kindness your niece has willingly offered to me. Twice. As long as I can serve by her side, that is all I ask...”</p>
<p><b>Oh, Akko...</b> Diana felt her breath hitch in her throat. Hearing Akko's words touched her heart. All she wanted to do was drop to her knees and bring the smaller girl into her arms and never let go.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Daryl let her arms fall back to her sides while she simply stared at the girls in bewilderment, feeling rather surprised by the red-eyed girl's decision to stay at the Cavendish Manor. She initially thought that if she could intimidate Akko long enough, then the girl will simply cower in fear and leave the premises, but unfortunately things didn't turn out quite as she had expected them to.</p>
<p><b>No matter. Regardless of her staying here, she'll be under my watchful eye. Protecting my family shall and will always be my top priority, even if I have to play as the villain...</b> The proxy head reminded herself of her mission. She then gathered her composure, her usual scowl returning as she crossed her arms, and she spoke to Akko with proper politeness. “Very well. I shall inform Anna and Carter to start training you on your servant duties starting tomorrow morning, bright and early.” She informed her.</p>
<p>The brunette was about to thank her until Daryl raised a hand to halt her words, signifying that she wasn't finished yet.</p>
<p>“And, as a servant of the House of Cavendish, I <b><em>expect</em></b> you to act proper and work diligently on the tasks that you will be assigned to on a daily basis. I <b><em>expect</em></b> you to refer to every member of this household as well as guests with their proper titles, and that includes my niece. Are we clear, Miss Kagari?”</p>
<p>Akko swallowed rather heavily, feeling herself shrink under the older woman's gaze as she felt a shiver go down her spine. Her courage from earlier diminished, seemingly without a trace. “C-crystal clear, L-Lady Daryl.”</p>
<p>“<em><b>Welcome to your new home.</b>”</em></p>
<p>A statement like that sounded not only forced but was also fake, a statement like that was supposed to fill her with warmth, and instead it filled Akko's being with an icy chill. She was surprised that she was able to respond at all by saying, “T-thank you very much.”</p>
<p>Daryl merely ignored her thanks before turning to Diana, who surprisingly remained silent this entire time.</p>
<p>“As for you, young lady, our “deal” from before still applies even now.” The elder Cavendish spoke, her eyes quickly shifting to Akko for emphasis before making eye contact with Diana again.“And, I don't know if you know this considering that you have been... distracted lately.” She said for a lack of better words, but Diana knew <em><b>EXACTLY</b></em> what she meant, but in spite of this Diana let her aunt continue, “I just want to remind you that being a Cavendish is first, being a good friend is second, and as a Cavendish we must always-”</p>
<p>“Help those in need.” The heiress finished her sentence.</p>
<p>“Exactly.” Her aunt nodded in satisfaction. “And that means being attentive to everything and everyone around you, and you can't do that if your focus is selfishly fixated on one person.” She raised one finger to emphasize her point. “So, I hope for your sake that you will stop being distracted and start taking your responsibilities like you are <em><b>expected</b></em> to as the future heiress of this household. Do you understand, Diana?”</p>
<p>“Yes, Aunt Daryl.” Diana nodded gravely, sighing heavily through her nose.</p>
<p>“Very good.” Daryl smiled, though obviously there was nothing genuine about it. “Now, if you ladies will excuse me, I have to inform our maid and butler that they have someone new among their ranks.”</p>
<p>Finally, the proxy head backed off and started to head out of the living room, but before she closed the white doors she added, “By the by, Diana, in your study you have a stack of medical papers to review and sign on top of your desk. You may now do as you please for the remainder of the day. Ta-ta~, ladies!”</p>
<p>The double doors to the living room closed upon Daryl's departure, and the girls were finally alone with their thoughts, not that there were any...</p>
<p>That was simply horrible, horrible enough that if Diana or Akko had some sort of joy at the start of their day, then any trace of it was simply gone now. Instead they felt empty, numb, tired, oh so tired despite the fact that they have woken up about an hour ago.</p>
<p>Her aunt was just insufferable. The way that she had treated Akko was both unjust and unfair, and she <em><b>EXPECTS</b></em> Diana to practically not hang out with the young girl so that she would focus on her duties as a Cavendish.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <b>Fat chance!</b>
  </em>
</p>
<p>It's one thing to actually focus on her duties as heiress, but it's another when she basically ignores Akko's existence. Diana would never, ever, do that!</p>
<p>Speaking of the girl...</p>
<p>The blonde finally dared herself to look at the brunette, who still sat on her knees and had yet to move from her spot on the floor. Her head hung low as she simply stared down at her lap, her hands were balled into fists while they gripped the material of her skirt.</p>
<p>Diana was about to softly call out to the girl until she noticed a lone tear trail down Akko's cheek, and more came soon after that as her shoulders started shaking, and what ultimately broke Diana's trance in that moment was the strangled sob that came out of Akko's throat.</p>
<p><b>How long did she held it in?</b> The blonde wondered in concern, feeling her own eyes welling up with tears just seeing Akko in such a sorrowful state. <b>Akko deserves better than this. She deserves better, and instead she chose to suffer because of me...</b></p>
<p>Diana's tears trailed down her face, practically without permission because she felt that she had no right to cry, but she refused to hold them back. No sooner that the brunette had started crying, Diana had fallen to her knees and brought the sobbing girl into her arms, and the young doctor was so grateful that Akko didn't push her away.</p>
<p><b>I'm sorry, Akko, I'm so sorry!</b> Diana repeated over and over again, not trusting her own voice at the moment due to crying as well, but when she collects herself, she will properly apologize to Akko at a later time.</p>
<p>The heiress didn't know how long they stayed there, nor did she care because right now all of Diana's attention was on the distraught girl in her arms, and Diana would stay with her for as long as it takes...</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A/N2: And, that's it for chapter 7 folks! The drama train has officially stopped, for now. Chapter 6 received quite a lot of reception due to the events that took place. I like that, let's keep it going. Now, some of you, have expressed concerns about Daryl... As always, Daryl is a jerk, but a jerk with purpose. I assure you. Akko and Diana managed to talk things out, to an extent, story purposes that I can't explain.</p>
<p>AS A REMINDER: This story is not going to be puppies and rainbows guys. I mean, what do you expect? I set this story in the Witch Trials era! There's going to be a lot of drama, and there's going to be a lot of bs as we continue on this journey. Characters are going to face consequences for their actions, indirectly or not, due to the circumstances of this story. BUT, I promise you, there's going to be good times too. Just hang in there and stick by me until then! I really want to write a good story for you my lovelies, I really and truly do.</p>
<p>Next time for chapter 8, Akko will start her training as a maid in the House of Cavendish and we will finally see the green team being introduced for this AU! XD</p>
<p>As always, please let me know how I did on your comments! I would like to read what's on your minds whether it's criticism, praise, or support, and I will also like to see kudos and Bookmarks for this story as well! Those really make my day, and this story would be nothing without your support guys, I really mean that. I hope you guys will be around for my next update! Until next time! :3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Akko the Maid</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I don't own Little Witch Academia or any of its characters. They rightfully belong to Trigger.</p>
<p>A/N: Update day! Thank you all for your support, and you may read to your heart's content! I hope that you guys and gals enjoy it as much as I did while writing it. ;)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Yesterday was terrible. There's absolutely no doubt about that. After they practically got chewed out by Daryl and gathered their composure, they just simply went their separate ways toward their own rooms. Diana was obviously busy with paperwork, and Akko was left alone to contemplate her life choices for the remainder of the day and throughout the night. Needless to say, the brunette hardly got any sleep, and to make things worse Akko forgot about one thing...</p>
<p>Just as she was about to surrender to slumber, there was a knock on her bedroom door. Wearily getting out of bed, the red-eyed girl made her way over to open the door.</p>
<p>Anna was standing in the hallway, holding a neatly folded maid uniform in her hands. The older woman was already prepared to start the day, but her lips settled to a thin frown upon noticing Akko's tired look and still wearing the same clothes she wore the day before, a clear sign that the girl hadn't slept.</p>
<p>“Honestly, Miss Kagari...” Anna sighed disappointingly, “It's barely the start of your first day as a maid in this household, and you look like an absolute mess. You'll be dead on your feet by day's end, I guarantee it!” She stated confidently.</p>
<p>Akko groaned, rolling her eyes as she did so. “Give me a break, would ya? I had a terrible day yesterday.”</p>
<p>“So I've heard from milady, but I'm not sympathetic to your plight.” The head maid spoke honestly without remorse as she handed the maid uniform to the young girl. She then looked up to see the sorry state of Akko's room.</p>
<p>The room itself was pitch black in darkness with the curtains closed off to further help the darkened ambiance, but Anna could see enough thanks to the lighting in the hallway.</p>
<p>Akko's bed was also in disarray with the blankets being pushed off to the side, and her pillows look like they haven't been fluffed in weeks. Needless to say, the head maid was having none of this...</p>
<p>“No, no, no! This will not do.” Anna grumbled with a fierce shake of her head, moving past Akko to light the candle by the bedside table and started cleaning up. She then began to make the brunette's bed, fluffing up a couple of pillows as she spoke, “As a maid in the House of Cavendish, everything you do must be carried with diligence and pride. Otherwise, it'll reflect poorly on this family.” As she said this, the older woman began to tuck in the blankets in the corners of the bed. “I'd highly suggest that you sleep as early as possible. You will wake at approximately five o'clock each and morning-”</p>
<p>“<em><strong>Five o'clock...!</strong></em><em>”</em> The red-eyed girl whispered to herself in shock, her eyes widening at hearing such a statement. It was almost... unthinkable. Akko valued sleep more than anything else in the world, and to think now she was forced to give up such a luxury! “Do you even sleep woman?!”</p>
<p>Anna chuckled, but it held no humor in it. “I'm being generous. Unless, you would like to be a dutiful servant, such as myself, and start waking up at four in the morning?” She happily suggested while she arranged some of Akko's shoes neatly in one corner of the room.</p>
<p>“No~, thank you!” Akko frantically shook her head. She then looked at her draped window. It still seemed to be dark outside, which begged a very important question... “What time is it?”</p>
<p>“That seems to be a silly question, don't you think?” Anna said rhetorically as she opened the curtains in the room.</p>
<p><em><strong>Five o'clock in the morning, and I didn't sleep jack! It almost makes me want to cry... again!</strong></em> Akko thought with a whine, subconsciously scrunching up the maid uniform in her hands.</p>
<p>Once the head maid finished cleaning up, she straightened up and put her hands on her hips, nodding to herself on a job well done.</p>
<p>Satisfied, Anna turned to see that the young girl had yet to move from her spot in the doorway.</p>
<p>“What are you doing standing around?! Head to the nearest lavatory and get cleaned up!” The older woman chided the girl. “We're on a tight schedule, and we can't start on your training if you dilly-dally!”</p>
<p>Akko looked beyond confused, listening to everything she was being told, except for one word. “Lavatory? ...What's that?”</p>
<p>Anna let out an exasperated sigh, hurriedly ushering the brunette out into the hallway and walked alongside her in the hall, all the while muttering something among the lines of Akko being incorrigible.</p>
<p>Once they made it to their destination, the head maid simply opened the door, to which the young girl responded with a....</p>
<p>“Oh, you meant the bathroom! Why didn't you just say so?!”</p>
<p>The door to the washroom closed soon afterward, signifying Akko's departure, and Anna merely sighed for the umpteenth time this morning while bringing a hand up to pinch the bridge of her nose. She could already feel a headache coming on.</p>
<p>“This is going to be a long morning...” The older woman grumbled to no one in particular.</p>
<hr/>
<p>When Akko finally emerged from the bathroom and managed to pass Anna's keen eye inspection, which of course the older woman spotted a couple of mistakes to Akko's attire from her ruffled head piece to her apparent loose apron.</p>
<p>Once those were fixed, the two of them started walking down the hall and as they walked, Anna started to brief the young girl the start of her servant duties...</p>
<p>“As I was saying before...” The head maid began with her instruction, “As a maid in the House of Cavendish, you must carry yourself with pride and work with diligence on every task you're set to do. You will wake up at approximately five o'clock each and every morning, you will tidy up your quarters, you will dress up into your proper uniform, and then you will finally start with your maid duties by waking up the mistresses.” She summarized the starting point of the job as she and Akko came to a halt at the end of the hallway.</p>
<p>The brunette did a brief nod. “Okay, um, does it matter who I wake up first?” She asked.</p>
<p>“Not really, but for your sanity, I recommend that you start with Lady Daryl and her daughters before you go waking up Miss Cavendish.” Anna replied honestly. She then gestured to the double doors to her right. “This is Lady Daryl's private quarters. Watch me first, and then you may have a turn in the next room.”</p>
<p><strong>Oh great, I have to deal with the terrible two...</strong> Akko complained to herself with a groan, resisting the urge to not roll her eyes at the very thought of what she might be facing in a few minutes.</p>
<p>Regardless of this fact, however, the red-eyed girl will happily take the lesser of two evils. Dealing with the Cavendish twins must certainly be better than having to deal with the matriarch of the family, right? Right?</p>
<p>Steeling her nerves, the young girl watched Anna knock firmly on the white doors to Daryl's bedroom. She did so twice. After receiving no answer, the head maid quietly entered the room, beckoning Akko to follow her inside.</p>
<p>It was quite dark, but not for long as Anna went to the other side of the room and opened the curtains, which revealed a lake that stretched out for miles on a different part of the Cavendish property with the sun rising up in the horizon.</p>
<p>How the older woman managed to maneuver through the darkness with such ease shall forever be a mystery for Akko, but she supposed that confidence came from years of experience.</p>
<p>And now that the bedroom had natural lighting, or as much of it as it could get at the moment, Anna started to call out to the elder Cavendish...</p>
<p>“Good morning, Lady Daryl. It's time to wake up, it's a beautiful day today!”</p>
<p>“Good morning...”</p>
<p>With a groan of acknowledgment, the matriarch of the household slowly rose up from the confines of her bed sheets with a messy bed of hair as she stretched her arms out above her head. She opened her eyes and sent a tired look toward Akko, who stood silently near the doorway while she watched Anna work.</p>
<p>The red-eyed girl met her gaze and the both of them stared at each other for a bit, only for Daryl to break eye contact first when she rose up from her bed.</p>
<p>The head maid came from the closet holding a robe in her hands, patiently waiting for her mistress to collect herself as she stretched. “Did you sleep well, Lady Daryl?”</p>
<p>“Yes, I did. Thank you.” The proxy head stifled a yawn at the back of her hand as Anna kindly helped her with putting on an elegant robe over her nightgown.</p>
<p>Now looking a bit more awake than before, Daryl simply headed over to her vanity table and sat down while she began the process of doing her own hair. Her cold blue gaze never seemed to leave Akko's the entire time she worked on her mane.</p>
<p>“When will breakfast be ready?” Daryl inquired.</p>
<p>“About thirty minutes, give or take.” Anna responded promptly when she headed over to pick up a laundry basket that sat by its lonesome in the corner of the room. “Is this all the laundry, Lady Daryl?”</p>
<p>“Yes, it is. I also have one request: I'll be attending a party tonight with a dear friend of mine, and I want my favorite dress to be cleaned and ironed out in time for the evening. My daughters will also be accompanying me, so don't wait up for us for dinner.” The matriarch informed her.</p>
<p>The head maid bowed in respect, replying, “Consider it done, Lady Daryl.”</p>
<p>“Thank you, Anna. As for you, Miss Kagari...”</p>
<p>Akko felt herself perk up upon being called, stuttering, “Y-yes, Lady Daryl?”</p>
<p>“I hope that you'll do well on your first day. Do not disappoint me.”</p>
<p>“I will do my very best, Lady Daryl.” The brunette answered with as much confidence as she could muster, giving a polite nod when she and Anna excused themselves on their way out.</p>
<p>When they got to the hallway, the head maid and her pupil settled onto a walk on their way to the Cavendish twins.</p>
<p>“You've handled yourself well with Lady Daryl, I'm impressed.” Anna praised the young girl, adjusting the laundry basket she held at her side.</p>
<p>“I wasn't expecting her to talk to me. At all. And the way she kept staring at me was as if she was hoping I'd screw up right then and there, she must really hate my guts...” Akko couldn't help but comment as her anxiety started to get a hold of her. “Does she really detest me that much?” She finished saying with a heavy sigh.</p>
<p>“Lady Daryl is very... wary of outsiders.” The head maid spoke for lack of better words. “She may be that way now, but I'm sure, in time, Lady Daryl will warm up to you.” She reassured the girl.</p>
<p>The brunette chuckled, but it held no humor in it. “I highly doubt that...” She muttered skeptically.</p>
<p>Anna sighed when she came to a stop in the middle of the hallway, and so did Akko.</p>
<p>“I know that what I'm saying may be hard, very hard, to believe, but believe me Miss Kagari. Lady Daryl may be a cold person on the surface and her methods as head of house may be a bit unorthodox, but she really is trying her best to do what's right for her family.”</p>
<p>The older woman gave her honest opinion, and when she noticed that Akko was about to say something, Anna merely raised a hand to halt her words. “Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that you should give Lady Daryl a chance. All I'm saying is to keep what I just said in mind, can you do that for me?”</p>
<p>Akko's shoulders slumped in defeat, obviously not liking what she just heard but she ultimately responded, “I guess I can.”</p>
<p>“Good.” Anna gave a satisfied nod, adjusting the laundry basket at her side once again as she resumed her walk further down the hall. “Come along now, Miss Kagari. It's your turn to formally learn the ropes!”</p>
<p><strong>This is going to be a long morning...</strong> The brunette thought with dread, already not looking forward to dealing with the Cavendish twins.</p>
<p>Needless to say, Akko was right. She did regret it. Immensely. Since the young girl watched Anna work, Akko was only able to do two things: Knock, and opening the curtains. And the moment that the Cavendish twins opened their eyes...</p>
<p>Oh boy, Maril and Merril certainly gave the red-eyed girl a thrill of a lifetime to the point where Akko actually questioned herself on why she decided to be a maid in the first place...</p>
<p>The answer was obvious: Diana.</p>
<p>The heiress was the reason why the brunette made this decision. To repay the kindness she had shown her since the moment they've met, and considering all the trouble Akko had caused her as of late... she willingly accepted this punishment.</p>
<p>It honestly took Akko all her willpower to keep her composure the entire time because whenever she wanted to lash out at them, the head maid would give her a look that said, <em>“I understand how you feel, but you have to grin and bear it, Miss Kagari. </em><em><strong>I mean it.</strong></em><em>”</em></p>
<p>And so, grin and bear it she did.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Akko groaned when she dropped the twins' laundry baskets on the floor once they've made it to the laundry room, sitting rather heavily on one of the old chairs that was in the middle of the room. She leaned forward toward the table and simply laid her head on her folded arms.</p>
<p>“<em>...Are we done yet?”</em> Came the muffled complaint from the poor girl.</p>
<p>“Not even close.” Anna smiled sympathetically, gently patting the girl on the head as she laid down her own laundry basket on the table. “I'm actually proud of you, Miss Kagari. You've actually managed to keep it together back there.” She praised her once again.</p>
<p><strong>That was mostly because I was thinking of Diana... she was the only thought that kept me sane the entire time.</strong> The brunette thought of her response, but of course, she kept it to herself. She then sighed while she straightened up in her chair and asked, “What's next?”</p>
<p>“The laundry can wait for a bit, and I need to assist the chef in serving breakfast. As for you...” The head maid paused for a bit, seemingly battling a clash of wills while thinking of Akko's next task. After what seemed like forever, Anna finally made up her mind. “If you wish to do so, you may start waking Miss Cavendish.”</p>
<p>Akko's red eyes widened in surprise, bringing a hand up to point at herself. “By... myself?” She spoke slowly, obviously in disbelief from what she just heard.</p>
<p>Anna nodded in confirmation. “Of course, I'm sure you're dying to see her. Not to mention, you barely managed to put my lessons into practice with Lady Daryl's daughters. With Miss Cavendish, I'm sure you'll do just fine on your own. Now, hurry along, breakfast will be ready shortly.”</p>
<p>Akko didn't need to be told twice. She swiftly got up from her chair and practically sprinted out of the room, which of course caused the head maid to loudly chide her about running inside the manor, not that the red-eyed girl could hear her by that point since the girl was long gone.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Diana laid in bed, still half-asleep while she lay on her left side as she tried to find the will to get up, but her body seems to be comfortable enough to remain in bed.</p>
<p>There was just a weird occurrence in the mornings where your body seemed relaxed and cozy enough to somehow become one with your mattress to the point where you just don't want to move, not even the sensation of hunger or going to the bathroom seemed to be much motivation for the heiress to get a move on to start the day.</p>
<p>The question is: Does she even want to?</p>
<p>Yesterday was simply terrible, and to think that one person, or rather family member could make it as such was just unbelievable. The young doctor was so miserable to the point where once she finished her paperwork, she went straight to bed, and she didn't even bother Anna nor Carter about bringing her dinner because her appetite was just gone thanks to her foul mood.</p>
<p>There was only one thought on her mind for the remainder of that day: Akko. Diana deeply wondered how the other girl was coping with all of this. Speaking of which...</p>
<p><strong>I wonder how Akko is doing with her maid duties? I hope that my aunt and cousins didn't cause any trouble for her...</strong> Diana thought worriedly, burying herself further into the bed sheets.</p>
<p>Before she could ponder about the brunette any further, two firm knocks interrupted the blonde from her worried thinking, which caused Diana to jump a bit in surprise while her heart skipped a beat from the sudden knocks.</p>
<p>The heiress merely closed her tired eyes again, probably thinking that it was Anna at the door about to wake her up. Usually, Diana would answer and give the head maid permission to enter her room, but since it's early morning, Anna enters regardless if she spoke up. Today in particular, the young doctor decided not to bother.</p>
<p>A few seconds passed by when the knocks had stopped and Diana could hear her bedroom door open, but what followed next seemed... odd to her.</p>
<p>Anna's steps are always precise, rhythmic even with a sense of purpose for whatever task she was going to do, but these footfalls certainly weren't hers. Instead, it sounded like a bouncy walk almost like skipping if someone was walking for leisure.</p>
<p>Daring to take a peek, Diana lowered the blankets a bit, and when she did the blonde felt her breath hitch in her throat as she witnessed a surprising, breathtaking sight...</p>
<p>It was Akko. The brunette was in the middle of opening the curtains, which caused the sun's morning rays to illuminate Diana's room with a soft warm glow. But what really made the heiress react in such a way was when Akko turned her head, looking over her shoulder as she looked directly at Diana.</p>
<p>Akko's red eyes looked magnificent under the sun's rays. Thanks to the sunlight, it made her eyes stand out more than usual since they looked brighter and more pleasant to look at.</p>
<p>Furthermore, the other thing that caught Diana's attention was the maid uniform. Akko looked absolutely...</p>
<p><strong>Adorable.</strong> The blonde cooed in her thoughts, feeling a goofy grin working its way up her face, and Diana secretly hopes that grin could possibly pass as a sleepy one so that it won't make things awkward with the red-eyed girl.</p>
<p>Diana's nervousness seemed to have been for not as Akko gave a smile of her own, which made the young doctor feel the supposed tickling, fluttering sensation of butterflies in her stomach. Overall, it was just serene. Diana hoped with all her might that this moment wasn't a dream nor a figment of her imagination.</p>
<p>And yet, it all got ruined when Akko spoke, “Good morning, <strong><em>Miss Cavendish!</em></strong> It's a beautiful day! Did you sleep well?”</p>
<p>In an instant the butterflies disappeared, and the goofy grin slipped off Diana's face.</p>
<p>The brunette didn't say anything wrong, but somehow her words wounded the heiress. It felt as is somebody had stabbed her in the gut, and they just pushed the knife deeper and twisted it to make the pain even more agonizing.</p>
<p>Granted, it wasn't Akko's fault. She was merely following Daryl's rules, and one of them was to refer to every member of the household as well as guests by their proper titles, but for Diana it just felt so... wrong. Foreign. Strange.</p>
<p>It just didn't sound like Akko at all. The way she said, <strong><em>“Miss Cavendish”</em></strong> was almost as if they didn't even know each other at all. It sounded cheerful, warm even, and yet it felt as if Akko and Diana were back at square one again as total strangers when they obviously weren't. One thing's for sure, Diana didn't like this at all...</p>
<p>“Good morning, Akko.” The blonde finally managed to respond, slowly rising up from her bed. She then made her way over to her vanity table and sat down. “I've slept well. Thank you for asking.”</p>
<p>The brunette merely arched a brow, clearly noticing her savior's shift in attitude. “Is something wrong, milady?” She asked.</p>
<p>Diana made brief eye contact with Akko through the mirror, but she soon broke it when she closed her eyes and simply began the process of brushing her hair. “Nothing's wrong.” She spoke dismissively.</p>
<p>She lied, and Akko knew it.</p>
<p>Unbeknownst to the heiress, the next time she opened her eyes she let out a startled yelp at noticing that she was literally face-to-face with the red-eyed girl, which instinctively made Diana jump back a bit and in doing so she fell off her seat...</p>
<p>Luckily, Akko managed to catch her before she even hit the ground. Diana's hairbrush clattered on the floor, and all the while the young doctor felt her heart hammer inside her chest as she looked up at the brunette's face.</p>
<p>Under normal circumstances, Akko would've asked Diana if she was alright, but this is the retort that came out of her mouth instead, <em>“You're lying.”</em></p>
<p>Just hearing Akko whisper those words and Diana couldn't suppress the shiver that went down her spine, her heart pounding against her ears, her face set aflame from just being held in the girl's arms.</p>
<p>“<em>I-I...”</em></p>
<p>The young doctor's brain went totally blank. She could hardly even think in the position she was in.</p>
<p>And it got even worse still when Akko gave a smug smirk, confidently coming closer still. Their noses were barely touching, not that it mattered because Diana was pretty sure she had stopped breathing by this point, especially since the brunette spoke up yet again...</p>
<p>“<em>What. Got. You. So. Upset?”</em></p>
<p><strong>She is so doing this on purpose!</strong> The heiress thought angrily, but her irritation never showed on her face due to her current predicament. Okay, admittedly, she was swooned and secretly thrilled that this was currently happening, but of course, she will never admit it out loud.</p>
<p>Instead of responding, Diana turned her head away and avoided Akko's gaze. <em>“I-I am not upset...”</em> She muttered shyly.</p>
<p>The blonde regretted her action severely as Akko took it a step further. <em>“Diana~,”</em> The red-eyed girl whispered delicately into her ear, and Diana had to keep herself grounded by biting her lip by this point. <em>“Don't make me ask you again.”</em></p>
<p><strong>By the nine, this is torture!</strong> The young doctor squeezed her eyes shut, desperately wishing that this madness would stop. After what seemed like forever, Diana finally muttered, <em>“I-I give...”</em></p>
<p>The brunette hummed a bit, though Diana didn't know if Akko did it as a sign that she didn't hear her correctly or that she wanted Diana to repeat herself.</p>
<p>Regardless, the heiress admitted defeat. “I give, Akko. You win. Now, can you please let go of me?” She pleaded, surprisingly managing to gather some form of composure despite of how her body was reacting at the moment.</p>
<p>“If I do, will you tell me what's wrong?”</p>
<p>Diana resisted the urge not to whine as she answered, “Yes.”</p>
<p>And just like that, Akko carefully helped the blonde to sit back on her seat. During the midst of that process, Diana was starting to feel her pulse going back to normal again. That was until she made the horrible mistake of looking in the mirror on the exact moment when the red-eyed girl decided to wink her way...</p>
<p><strong>Bloody hell...!</strong> Diana hid her face in her hands in embarrassment, feeling her ears burn along with the rest of her face.</p>
<p>Akko didn't miss that reaction even for a second, which earned the young doctor a fit of giggles for her trouble. “That was just adorable! You should've seen your face!” She cooed when she went to pick up Diana's forgotten hairbrush from the floor.</p>
<p>“<em>I'm so glad that you're enjoying yourself...!”</em> Came the muffled reply as Diana had yet to move from her embarrassed position.</p>
<p>“Aw! I'm sorry, Diana!” The brunette apologized, clasping her hands together along with the brush as a gestured apology. “I just wanted to cheer you up since you seemed so upset earlier, I just wanted to see if I could get a reaction out of you...” She softly admitted.</p>
<p><strong>Yes, well, you certainly got one hell of a reaction from me.</strong> Is what the heiress wanted to say, but ultimately refrained herself from doing so.</p>
<p>Instead, she moved her hands away from her face and took deep breaths, managing to calm down somewhat as she finally managed to make eye contact with Akko once again.</p>
<p>Amusingly, Akko's smile got wiped off her face as a nervous look settled on her childish features, obviously uncertain of what's to come since Diana was giving her a serious look herself.</p>
<p>“I forgive you, Akko.” The blonde began gently, smiling a bit. “I assure you that my being upset does not stem from something you did, not intentionally anyway...” Before her new maid even had the chance to speak up, Diana had lifted a finger to Akko's lips in order to silence her. “I know that you're just following my aunt's orders, and yet... that makes me upset all the same. I guess a part of me felt sad because you referred to me as Miss Cavendish. Don't get me wrong, I can tolerate it from most people, but not you Akko.” She confessed.</p>
<p>The red-eyed girl brought a hand up and she gently removed Diana's hand and she held it in her own. “Why?” Was all she could ask, staring deeply into Diana's blue eyes in hopes to find an answer.</p>
<p>The young doctor's smile grew. There were so many ways she could respond, but she ultimately went with this answer, “That's not the Akko that <em><strong>I</strong></em> know.”</p>
<p>Noticing Akko's bewildered look, Diana decided to elaborate by saying, “The Akko I know is a happy-go-lucky girl who's excitable, energetic, kind, and truly compassionate. There are times that even I can't help but get drawn to your happy disposition.”</p>
<p>Akko's eyes seemed to sparkle with joy, and the smile that Diana received was the most precious one she's ever seen.</p>
<p>“R-really?”</p>
<p>“It's the truest truth.”</p>
<p>At hearing the heiress' response, the brunette tried her best to fight off the blush that took over her cheeks by the storm, but to no avail she clearly lost the battle when she clumsily returned Diana's hairbrush and merely decided to concentrate in making the blonde's bed in order to distract herself, but before she could... Diana gently caught her new maid by the sleeve of her uniform.</p>
<p>“Akko.”</p>
<p>“Y-yes, mila-” The red-eyed girl shook her head, catching herself from almost making the same mistake again, and so she corrected it, “Yes, do you need something...?”</p>
<p>“Can I make a selfish request?” The young doctor asked a question of her own, looking up at Akko in anticipation.</p>
<p>Confused by this sudden favor, the girl responded with a slow, “Sure...”</p>
<p>“Like I mentioned before, I know that you're following my aunt's orders by being formal with me, but can you...” Diana hesitated briefly, avoiding Akko's gaze as a small blush started taking over her cheeks again. Gathering her courage, she continued, “Can you call me by my name, at least when we're alone like this?”</p>
<p>Akko couldn't help the big goofy grin that spread across her face, lunging herself at Diana with a surprise hug, which caused the young doctor to grab a hold of the vanity table so that they wouldn't fall over. “Of course, Diana! I'd be happy to!”</p>
<p><strong>Bless the nine...</strong> Diana thought to herself in content, sighing in relief by just being in Akko's arms.</p>
<p>The young Cavendish was over the moon to finally hear her name from Akko's lips again.</p>
<hr/>
<p>After breakfast was done and over with, Anna certainly wasn't joking when she said they weren't even close to being done with their duties.</p>
<p>Housekeeping was really hard considering the Cavendishes live in a huge mansion! There were lots of things to clean from the bathrooms, bedrooms, the kitchen, the fireplace, the living room, the dining room, doing all the laundry, moping the floors, polishing the stair rails, and of course dusting every nook and cranny of surfaces the servants could find, which of course included chandeliers, photos, and paintings alike.</p>
<p>And she almost ruined a painting! If it weren't for Anna, who noticed she was holding a wet rag to wipe the oil canvas, she might not have survived the rest of the day, and maybe even Diana couldn't save her. If she hadn't known that the proper way to clean a painting was only by its edges and with a duster.</p>
<p>Ultimately, the head maid was right. Akko was obviously dead on her feet by days end. Dinner was done and over with, and the brunette was in charge of cleaning dishes for the evening.</p>
<p>Akko sighed heavily when she wiped off the sweat from her forehead, leaning forward on the counter and simply laid her head on her folded arms in momentary rest. She might as well since she officially finished with all her servant duties for the day, and now she'll have the remainder of the evening to do as she pleased until she has to go to sleep and repeat the same cycle once again in the morning...</p>
<p>Joy.</p>
<p><strong>I'm so tired...</strong> Akko thought tiredly, pouting a bit.</p>
<p>Overall, her new job as a maid wasn't all bad. It certainly kept her on her toes and of course she stayed busy doing plenty of other tasks, which is a good thing because the red-eyed girl doesn't like sitting still for too long or else she'd get bored pretty quick. If there seemed to be a downside from her decision of becoming a maid, then it would have to be...</p>
<p><strong>I barely had any time to spend with Diana...</strong> Akko sighed longingly at the thought. <strong>I only saw her in the morning and every so often throughout the day, but I hardly even managed to say, “Hi” or a “How's your day going so far?” with how ridiculously busy I was with chores.</strong> She then hummed to herself for a bit, trying to think of a solution. <strong>Maybe I can talk to Anna and see if I can get a day off or two during the week? After all, I need a break sometime. That should be okay, right?</strong></p>
<p>Soon enough, the young maid snapped out of her thoughts and got back to reality when she heard something peculiar. It sounded like voices, though they were hushed whispers at best, and female to boot. There was no doubt about that, but one thing's for sure...</p>
<p>Akko didn't recognized them.</p>
<p>Carefully, the brunette stepped off from the counter and cautiously opened one of the kitchen cabinets to arm herself with a frying pan, and she silently headed near one of the kitchen windows to take a peek outside.</p>
<p>It was dark, but thanks to the lighting in the kitchen Akko was able to notice three figures in the darkness. She was correct on her earlier assumption, these strangers were indeed young women and they seemed to be around her age, at least two of the taller girls looked the part but the third girl was both questionable in age and much shorter in height in comparison to the other two within the trio.</p>
<p>The red-eyed girl didn't like this at all.</p>
<p>First of all, it was very late into the night. Second, there were three suspicious individuals outside. Their purpose and intentions for being here were uncertain. Third, Akko suspects them of being thieves and just thinking of the possibility of those girls either trying to rob or harm anyone in this household was a very terrifying thought for the brunette, and her worries seemed to have cemented when she heard the following...</p>
<p>“<em>Are you sure that it's okay to sneak around the back?”</em> The first voice whispered uncertainly. <em>“Why couldn't we just knock on the door upfront?”</em> She asked in confusion.</p>
<p>Her companion, who seemed to be the leader of this trio, rolled her eyes in annoyance as she replied, <em>“And, where's the fun in that? Didn't the three of us agreed that this was going to be a surprise?”</em></p>
<p>“<em>Wouldn't they be surprised regardless of where we enter?”</em> The first girl spoke incredulously.</p>
<p>The leader groaned, obviously irritated by this point while she fiddled with the locked doorknob. <em>“You are really taking the fun out of this! Are you getting cold feet on me?!”</em></p>
<p>“<em>I am not getting cold feet! I just think that there's a better way to approach the matter, I mean, the last thing we want is to get caught.”</em> Now, it was the first girl's turn to be annoyed, putting her hands on her hips while she tried to reason with her leader.</p>
<p>“<em>Jasminka, do you or do you not want to raid their food?”</em></p>
<p>“<em>Hmm, well I am a bit peckish...”</em></p>
<p>“<em>Then, we <strong>have</strong> to do this! Otherwise, we're not going to get the goodies we want!”</em> The leader whispered haughtily, firmly reminding her companions of the goal they're trying to achieve. She then huffed in frustration, ultimately giving up on the doorknob as she turned to look at the short girl. <em>“Hey Constanze, gimme a hand with this stupid thing, would ya? I can't see jack out here!”</em></p>
<p>Their short companion merely nodded her head with a grunt as she got to work.</p>
<p>From inside the kitchen, Akko tried her best to hold back a gasp as she desperately thought about her actions while clasping her hands together as a distraction, but found that she couldn't due to the solid material in her hands...</p>
<p>The brunette felt silly for even overreacting in the first place. <strong>Why am I even panicking? I have a frying pan! If these girls want a raid, then I'll give them a raid!</strong> She thought in determination, already thinking ahead on her next course of action to protect her new home.</p>
<p>Stepping away from the window, Akko quietly made her way over to the back door where the thieves were trying to break-in. Right next to that very door was a spice closet and despite the many shelves that were inside said closet, there was a considerable hiding spot big enough for Akko to hide at the bottom. Once she was inside the small closet, the red-eyed girl left the door open just wide enough for her to see and make her surprise attack.</p>
<p>Now, it's the waiting game.</p>
<p>The first few minutes were simply agonizing for the young maid as she waited for the thieves to come into the manor. Her body was shaking like a leaf, her heart was pounding in her ears due to anxiety and sudden adrenaline, and her breath came in short puffs of air to remain as quiet as possible.</p>
<p>After what seemed like forever, the back door to the kitchen finally opened, and when one of the figures was on Akko's line of sight... the maid lunged forward with her frying pan at the ready!</p>
<p>“...What the hell-?!” The leader of the trio barely had time to defend herself, let alone turn around in time to fully see her attacker as she had a face-full of the frying pan.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <strong>THUMP!</strong>
  </em>
</p>
<p>The collision was both loud and hollow as it rang through the kitchen. The first intruder timbered to the ground like a freshly cut tree as she collapsed on the kitchen floor, knocked down and out for the count.</p>
<p><strong>YES! One down, two more to go!</strong> Akko cheered in glee in her own thoughts, about to prepare herself for the next course. <strong>Operation: Pan-Slam-Jam is a go!</strong></p>
<p>Feet firmly planted on the ground, the brunette swiftly pivoted to her left and with this motion she swung her weapon with all might to the second intruder...</p>
<p>Unfortunately, unlike the first intruder, this one was ready.</p>
<p>A heavy and yet surprisingly delicate hand grabbed a hold of Akko's wrist, which was the hand that was holding the frying pan, and the second intruder easily disarmed the red-eyed girl with a strong decisive grip, which forced Akko to drop her weapon because of the pain.</p>
<p>The frying pan clattered loudly on the kitchen floor, which will probably attract the attention of not one, but probably most of the Cavendish manor residents.</p>
<p>“Ugh, that really hurts~!” The young maid whimpered once she was finally released, cradling her sore wrist against her chest. But it was just a little pain, Akko could keep going. She had to!</p>
<p>Trying to be quick about it, the brunette tried to pick up her weapon of choice from the floor, but it was snatched away by the third intruder.</p>
<p>“Hey, give that back!”</p>
<p>The girl with the short build merely responded with the following action, swinging the frying pan to Akko's shin...</p>
<p>And, who's to say that it wasn't on her injured leg?</p>
<p>Akko tried to hold it in, she really did, but unfortunately the ache was just too much. Squeezing her eyes shut as tears slid through her closed eyelids, she yelped loudly in pain, cursing to herself in her native language while she hopped on her good leg.</p>
<p>When she was in agony, a pair of strong arms wrapped around Akko's small frame, wrapping around her torso and trapping her arms in the process and easily lifted the young maid off the ground so that she couldn't put up much resistance in this futile fight.</p>
<p>“Argh, no fair! Let me go!” Akko protested, desperately trying to free herself from her captor's strong grasp.</p>
<p>“WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON HERE?!”</p>
<p>All eyes were on the heiress of this household, who was looking on this chaos with both shock and disapproval from the still unconscious bloody redhead on her kitchen floor, to the fighting trio by her back door.</p>
<p>Despite everything that's happened, there was at least one silver lining to this whole outcome...</p>
<p>Thank the Nine Old Witches that Daryl Cavendish was out of the manor for the night.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A/N2: That's it for chapter 8 folks! What an entrance for the green team, am I right?! Admittedly, their appearance was a bit short, but we'll see more on them on chapter 9, and most definitely on chapter 10.</p>
<p>STAY TUNED! From here on out, I will try my best to do some world building for this Witch Trials AU outside of the Cavendish Manor. Progress has been slow, but I promise you that this story will get better as we go. Enjoy the fun, happy, and fluffy moments while you still can. I mean, we'll still have those throughout the story, but it won't all be puppies and rainbows is what I'm trying to say.</p>
<p>Anyways, please let me know how I did on your comments for this chapter. I really enjoyed writing it, especially the end with the green team! Your comments and overall support with kudos and bookmarks for this story have been wonderful, and it definitely inspires me to improve and keep on writing for you, my lovelies! I hope that you guys will be around for my next update, laters! XD</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Sudden Guests & Obligations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I don't own Little Witch Academia or any of its characters. They rightfully belong to Trigger.</p>
<p>A/N: Update day! Thank you to everyone who left a comment, kudos, or left a bookmark for this story. Lastly, I have a bit of an announcement by the end of this chapter. For those of you that are interested, it concerns chapter 10 along with a little project that I will be uploading on AO3. For now, let's continue where we left off last time. :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON HERE?!"</p>
<p>All eyes were on the heiress of this household, who was looking on this chaos with both shock and disapproval from the still unconscious bloody redhead on her kitchen floor, to the fighting trio by her back door.</p>
<p>Nobody dared to move, and to show that there wasn't going to be any more violence the girl with the short build settled the frying pan on the kitchen sink while the strong girl finally released her grip on Akko, who stumbled a bit with her footing before she fell on the floor.</p>
<p>"Akko!" The heiress hurried over to the girl's side, noticing the state of Akko's injury but Diana ultimately decided not to scold her about it and instead she asked, "Are you alright? What happened?"</p>
<p>"D-Diana?" The brunette looked up at her savior, her ruby red eyes widening in surprise and fear all the same, but Akko didn't let those emotions consume her since ensuring Diana's safety was her first priority. "F-forget about me! You need to get out of here, those girls are thieves!" She accused, pointing to the trio near the back door.</p>
<p>Diana arched a perfectly shaped brow, looking at the “burglars” with a knowing look. "Thieves, huh?" she spoke amusingly.</p>
<p>“<em><b>Who are you calling a thief?!</b>”</em></p>
<p>Everyone turned their attention to the disgruntled redhead, who had finally gained consciousness as she slowly sat up from the kitchen floor, her voice sounded nasal due to her broken and bloody nose.</p>
<p>"It's nice to see you too, O'Neill." The young doctor cut in, greeting the supposed thief with a warm welcome when it needed to be the exact opposite, under the right circumstances anyway.</p>
<p>By this point, Akko was so confused. "Wait, wait, wait! So, let me get this straight... You girls actually know each other?" She asked them.</p>
<p>And from there the girls got introductions out of the way, managed to clean everything up, and Akko and Amanda explained their sides of the story respectively. One thing's for sure, Diana was pretty upset over the events that took place...</p>
<p>"Honestly..." The heiress sighed heavily as she finished bandaging Akko's injury. "You girls should know better." She then aimed a glare in Amanda's direction, who was currently busy maintaining a bloody rag on her nose in an effort to stop the bleeding. "Especially you, O'Neill. Who in their right mind would plan a visit so late into the night and attempt to break-in through my back door of all places?!"</p>
<p>"I wanted to make it a surprise!" The red-haired tomboy spoke up in her defense, giving the blonde a glare of her own. "How the hell was I supposed to know that I was going to get a face-full of a frying pan of all things?!" She retorted irritably.</p>
<p>"I told you that it was a bad idea, but you wouldn't listen to me." Jasminka shook her head in dismay while she helped herself to a couple of apples in the kitchen and Constanze, who was by her side, nodded her head with a grunt.</p>
<p>"I have to agree with them O'Neill, you really are slipping. Being caught off guard by a maid and all..." Diana teased, which caused Akko to snicker.</p>
<p>Amanda's cheeks were as red as her own hair color. "S-shut up!"</p>
<p>"And as for you, young lady." The young doctor directed her stern stare toward the brunette, who stopped snickering and shivered a bit under Diana's gaze, clearly knowing that she was in trouble. "While I appreciate your heroic efforts, I would appreciate it more if you took your own safety into account. There was no need to be so reckless." She scolded.</p>
<p>Akko hung her head in shame, her hands nervously fiddling with her skirt. "I-I know, and I'm sorry, Diana." She apologized quietly, trying to reason with her savior by saying, "I just didn't want anything bad to happen to you or anyone else in the household..."</p>
<p>As soon as her serious facade came, it soon went away as Diana merely shook her head, bringing the small girl into a warm embrace. "I know, but next time something like this happens, you look for me, understand?"</p>
<p>The young maid felt her ears burn. Her breath hitched on her throat from Diana's close proximity, but despite it all, Akko managed to nod while replying with a small, "Okay..."</p>
<p>From the sideline, Amanda witnessed the whole exchange between the two girls. Personally, the redhead wanted to comment about it, but in the end, she chose not to and instead she called on the heiress...</p>
<p>"Yo Cav, in case you forgot, I still need medical attention over here! I think the bleeding finally stopped. Now, do me a favor and fix my nose with a little bit of magi-"</p>
<p>The adventurous redhead didn't even finish that sentence due to the fact that Diana had swiftly grabbed a hold of her nose, and fixed it manually... without any warning.</p>
<p>Once Amanda's brain processed what just happened, the poor girl wailed in pain as she immediately brought her hands up to cover her tender injury.</p>
<p>"There we go, good as new! You might be able to breathe normally again in a couple of days." The blonde spoke cheerfully with an uneasy smile, secretly hoping that Akko hadn't heard the last word in Amanda's sentence, and so to dispel any suspicions Diana decided to give the red-eyed girl a task. "Akko, would you be a dear and go upstairs and retrieve a couple of rags along with some fresh bandages for me? I seem to have run out. There should be some more in my room."</p>
<p>Not sensing anything unusual about her savior's demeanor, the brunette happily responded, "Of course Diana, I'll be right back!"</p>
<p>"Take your time!" The young doctor said sweetly as she watched the girl depart from the kitchen. She then turned to look at her guests. "She's so cute and dependable, isn't she?" She commented to them.</p>
<p>"'Cute', give me a break! That girl almost killed me and YOU almost finished the job by practically snapping my beautiful nose in half!" Amanda complained like there was no tomorrow, flinching a bit when she touched her delicate nose.</p>
<p>"Oh please," Diana rolled her eyes at hearing the redhead's exaggeration. "I didn't 'snap' it, I fixed it. You're welcome, by the way. Besides, I only did it like that to keep you from saying the word magic." She reasoned.</p>
<p>Jasminka momentarily stopped eating apples as she looked at the heiress in surprise. "Wait, so Akko doesn't know that you're a witch?" She questioned.</p>
<p>"She does not." The blonde answered.</p>
<p>This piqued Amanda's curiosity, and so she followed up with another question, "What's the girl's story anyway? She definitely wasn't here last time we visited."</p>
<p>The heiress gave them the summarized version of how she met the red-eyed girl. "Long story short, I found Akko about a month ago. She was practically dead on her feet as she walked, or limped I should say, on the side of the road when I found her..."</p>
<p>"Just how hurt was she?" The pink-haired adventurer inquired in concern.</p>
<p>"It was bad, really bad. It's a miracle that she's actually walking. Bless the nine that her wounds weren't too severe either because if I hadn't noticed her..." Diana let out a shaky breath, remembering how frightened the young girl was at the time. She shook that memory away, sighing softly before continuing, "When I checked to see if she had any weapons on her person, I found none, which also included a wand, and so I'm under the assumption that Akko is just a normal girl. She also doesn't have anywhere else to go so I offered her a home here, and I've been taking care of her since then." The young doctor finished her story.</p>
<p>"Well, that's definitely something you don't hear every day." The adventurous redhead commented, leaning back against her seat. "Do you know who or what caused those injuries?" She shot another question at her friend.</p>
<p>"Honestly, even if I am curious, I am too scared to find out the answer..." Diana admitted quietly. "Akko hasn't told me anything about her life before she got here, and I don't want to obligate her to tell me anything she doesn't want to. Hopefully, she'll be able to confide in me whenever she's ready to do so."</p>
<p>Just when the blonde finished saying that, Constanze smiled a bit and did hand gestures as she signed, <em>"You're so kind..."</em></p>
<p>"Yeah, too kind some would say." Amanda grumbled, crossing her arms while her face settled into a skeptical look of suspicion for the brunette's story. "If I was in your shoes, I'd be very wary of that girl in case she turned out to be a-"</p>
<p>Diana sent a fierce glare toward the tomboy, a glare that could possibly kill lesser beings, and her voice was just as sharp and cold as ice when she interrupted her friend by saying, "If you dare finish that sentence, <em><b>I will break your nose beyond repair.</b></em>"</p>
<p>"Whoa!" The adventurous redhead jumped back against her chair, falling over on the kitchen floor, but she didn't lay there for long as she scrambled up on her knees and crawled over to Jasminka, hiding behind the strong girl for protection. "Your attitude just did a complete 180, Caven-dusa! Constanze, I think that you should take that comment back."</p>
<p>The young doctor's eye twitched in irritation from hearing the old nickname, but regardless her glare softened, clearly feeling guilty for the sudden outburst.</p>
<p>In all honesty, she didn't mean it like that. Shutting her friend up, yes, but to make it come out as a threat she did not. The reason she acted the way she did was out of impulse, it always bothered Diana that people would assume that Akko was a criminal of some kind when that clearly wasn't the case, but in the end, she knows that she couldn't fault people for thinking that way. After all, not everyone in this world would have the same mindset as hers when it comes to helping others.</p>
<p>"Forgive me, that was uncalled for..." The heiress apologized.</p>
<p>Despite the fact that she had gotten scared, Amanda got back up on her feet while she put her hands behind her head, giving Diana a goofy grin as she said, "Nah, it's alright Cav. I was outta of line for suspecting her. I don't personally know the girl so I kind of deserved that. Sorry bout that."</p>
<p>"If you girls are going to stay here for a couple of days or so, then that's fine, but please try to keep anything related to magic on the down low." Diana pleaded with them. "It's bad enough that Aunt Daryl isn't too happy of me letting Akko live here with us, and she'll certainly won't be after she notices that you three will be staying here as well."</p>
<p>"Let your aunt huff and puff all she wants, but don't you worry Cav, we'll behave." The redhead promised, Jasminka and Constanze nodding in agreement with their leader.</p>
<p>The blonde smiled in gratitude. "Thank you girls, I appreciate it."</p>
<hr/>
<p>"Diana, would you mind telling me on why <em><b>they</b></em> are here?" Aunt Daryl practically snarled in disapproval at noticing the trio, who sat across from them on the dining table as they ate their breakfast.</p>
<p>The following morning started off on the shaky side and the atmosphere was more than just tense by this point.</p>
<p>Diana merely remained silent while she ate her meal, obviously not wanting to participate in another banter with her aunt. She just wasn't feeling it today.</p>
<p>Constanze and Jasminka also paid attention to their food, to which the strong girl was happily serving herself her tenth plate while her short companion merely did some origami figures as she fiddled with her napkins.</p>
<p>Amanda, however, was happy to oblige. "I'm sorry, did you say something you old broad?" She inquired innocently, too innocently for Daryl's standards.</p>
<p>"I certainly did not miss your crude attitude, Miss O'Neill." The elder Cavendish huffed irritably, barely keeping her anger in check while she glared icy daggers at the young teenager.</p>
<p>The short-haired tomboy chuckled, leaning back against her chair as she said, "The feeling is mutual because I definitely didn't miss seeing your ugly mask, oh wait... That's your face!"</p>
<p>"You are an incorrigible, disrespectful child!" Daryl chided, slamming her hands angrily on the table. "You are supposed to treat me with respect and show some gratitude for this family!"</p>
<p>"Funny," Amanda spoke dryly, suddenly being deadly serious while she gave the older woman a fierce glare of her own. "If I recall correctly, you didn't even lift a finger to lend a hand on my time of need. Why should I respect and show gratitude to someone who didn't earn it?"</p>
<p>
  <em>"<b>You'd better watch your tongue, girl.</b>”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"<b>You'd better watch you temper, hag.</b>”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"<b>Ruffian!</b>”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"<b>Crook!</b>”</em>
</p>
<p>And so, Daryl's and Amanda's back-and-forth began as they threw insults at each other, to which eventually prompted the Cavendish twins to join in in hopes on ganging up on the adventurous redhead, who didn't seem bothered in the slightest as that added more fuel to the fire.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, on the corner of the dining hall, Akko was more than a little uncomfortable while she stood alongside Anna, waiting patiently until one of them was called in case one of the Cavendishes or their guests needed something.</p>
<p>The brunette looked up at the head maid, giving her a pleading stare. "Is it alright if I can be excused and help Carter with garden duties?" She asked for permission before adding, "Unless, you really need me here to help you out, then I don't mind."</p>
<p>"You may go. Besides, it will be a while until they settle down..." Anna told her honestly. "This is nothing I can't handle." She reassured.</p>
<p>"Are you sure?"</p>
<p>"I'm quite sure, Miss Kagari."</p>
<p>"If you insist. Thank you very much." The young maid bowed politely as she excused herself on her way out of the dining room.</p>
<hr/>
<p>It felt good being outside. It was a bright sunny day, one where you wouldn't mind stepping out of the house and do something productive. There was a nice breeze blowing as well, and Akko found herself to be at peace and become one with nature while she stayed busy tending the flowers in the garden.</p>
<p>The brunette didn't mind doing yard work, in fact, she loves it. She may still be doing chores, but at the very least she wasn't cooped up inside the manor cleaning. Being outside like this reminded Akko of the simple days back at her home village, back when everything was normal and not... complicated.</p>
<p>She would be lying if she said she wasn't homesick. Why wouldn't she be?</p>
<p>To think that things would have escalated so fast just because of a small fire, to think that she would have been cast out of her own home by neighbors, friends, and family. Her own parents...</p>
<p><b>They looked at me, their own child, as nothing but a monster...</b> In a daze, Akko stared down at her work-worn hands, which were covered in old scars and dirt from working outside.</p>
<p>Ever since that dreadful night, the red-eyed girl hasn't experienced another incident similar to her home village, and honestly, she didn't know whether to consider it as a good or a bad thing. Who knows? It could have been a fluke. A one-time thing, or maybe it was all in her head. It certainly wouldn't be the first time that Akko had exaggerated something since the girl was a bit of a prankster. That could be it, right?</p>
<p><b>Yeah, that's it. It was all a prank, a joke!</b> The young maid convinced herself, chuckling pitifully as she continued thinking of her delusions for a normal life. <b>Maybe I can go back and make them think that this was another one of my jokes. They'll scold me for messing with them, but they'll eventually get a kick out of it and start laughing about it like they always do... always.</b></p>
<p>Akko's vision blurred as tears welled up in her eyes, but ultimately only one lone tear streamed down her cheek, eventually falling onto the palm of her right hand.</p>
<p>No matter how much she thought about it, no matter how much she wished it hadn't happened, she knew deep down that this fantasy was nothing but wishful thinking and Akko had no choice but to accept it as reality.</p>
<p>"Akko."</p>
<p>Surprised, the brunette turned her head to the right in time to notice her savior, who just arrived in the garden and looked at her with concern.</p>
<p>Akko swiftly wiped her tears away by brushing her face against the sleeves of her shirt, sniffling a bit while she gave Diana a small smile in greeting. "Hello, Diana. How was breakfast?"</p>
<p>"Dismal. I'm happy to be out of there." The heiress responded, rolling her eyes as she did so. More importantly, that still wasn't enough to dissuade her as she asked, "How about you? Is everything alright?"</p>
<p>
  <em>"<b>Yes.</b>”</em>
</p>
<p>Akko lied, and Diana knew it.</p>
<p>The blonde sighed softly, "Akko, do you really expect me to believe that you're fine when you were clearly crying?" She spoke worriedly.</p>
<p>"I'm fine Diana, really." The red-eyed girl said insistently, standing up to her full height as she tried her best to dust her hands off from the dirt. "If anything, it was a bit embarrassing." She chuckled, but Diana knew that it wasn't genuine in the slightest. "I mean, I got scared by a grasshopper of all things."</p>
<p>The young doctor raised her eyebrows in amusement. "A grasshopper scared you? Is that what made you cry?" She asked interrogatively, but not enough to push the girl to spill the beans.</p>
<p>"Well yeah, out of laughter. I found it silly that I got spooked by such a small creature, and so I laughed." Akko answered, shrugging her shoulders as if it wasn't a big deal.</p>
<p><b>Akko's a horrible liar, but it looks like that's her story and she will stick to it. Why on earth does she have to be so difficult?</b> Diana thought with a shake of her head. Instead of pushing her into telling the truth, she decided to tease the girl by saying, "If you insist, scaredy-cat."</p>
<p>A scarlet blush took over Akko's cheeks as she exclaimed, "I-I'm not a scaredy-!" She then stopped herself, ultimately deciding to change the subject. "Ugh, never mind... A-anyway are Amanda, Constanze, and Jasminka really your friends?" She asked her savior.</p>
<p>"You don't trust them, do you?" The heiress shot a question of her own.</p>
<p>"Do you really expect me to after the stunt they pulled last night?" Akko retorted, clearly feeling salty over the slight fight the night before.</p>
<p>"Fair point." Diana gave a small laugh while she walked on ahead, smiling when she noticed the brunette walking alongside her.</p>
<p>The two of them walked along a path, eventually reaching the center of the garden. Breathing in the sweet odor of the olive groves mixed with a fragrance of roses. The path was lined with shrubs, and the middle was likewise lined with tall hedges that surrounded the round, large portion of the garden where a large fountain was situated at its center with benches on either side of it.</p>
<p>What definitely caught Akko's attention, however, was the huge variety of roses that decorated most of the plants among the field ranging many kinds of colors besides the common red. Akko hadn't known there were multiple colors asides from the typical red, white, and yellow.</p>
<p>The rose garden was simply beautiful, and it quickly became one of Akko's favorite places within the Cavendish property. Akko believed just for a moment that she could be content and all of her worries would disappear, along with the dark, painful past she escaped from.</p>
<p>Diana made her way toward one of the benches and sat down, smiling a bit at noticing the girl's awe expression while she looked around with child-like wonder.</p>
<p>Once her sightseeing was over, Akko sat beside her savior. "So, what's their story?"</p>
<p>The blonde merely hummed in acknowledgment, deeply thinking on what to share and not to share with the young girl. "I'm afraid that you have to be a bit more specific than that, Akko."</p>
<p>"Okay, um... What was your first meeting with them like?" Akko asked, her curiosity growing as she waited for her savior's answer.</p>
<p>"Dreary." Diana answered simply, and she elaborated further by saying, "It was a stormy night. I remember it almost as if it was just yesterday when three girls, soaked to the bone, approached the front doors of the manor. One was injured and sick, the other was feeble and suffered from malnutrition, and the third didn't sustain any physical wounds but emotionally they are there." She summarized cryptically.</p>
<p>The red-eyed girl looked a bit dissatisfied from hearing that answer. "That's it?"</p>
<p>The young doctor hid a laugh at the back of her hand. "That's it." She confirmed.</p>
<p>"But, that barely tells me anything." Akko pouted disappointingly, hunching a bit in her seat.</p>
<p>"Which is exactly why I highly encourage that you get to know them. Who knows? They might even become unexpected friends." Diana spoke reasonably, "And as much as I am willing to tell you, I can't. The girls told me their pasts in sub rosa."</p>
<p>The brunette tilted her head in confusion, slowly repeating, "Sub... rosa?"</p>
<p>"It's a Latin expression, which literally translates to "under the rose" and its meaning is something told in secret." The heiress explained. "Oddly fitting, considering where we are, don't you think?" She finished saying with a wink.</p>
<p>Akko's reaction was immediate, her face turning beet red. She shyly looked down at her lap in order to avoid Diana's gaze, mumbling, "I-I guess so..."</p>
<p><b>She is so cute.</b> The blonde thought adoringly, looking around the garden in search for something, picking a particular flower behind her with an outstretched hand.</p>
<p>Akko got startled when she felt Diana touch her hair, but she didn't dare to look up. "D-Diana, w-what are you doing?"</p>
<p>"Hold still, I'm almost done."</p>
<p>"O-okay..."</p>
<p>"Finished." The young doctor backed away, smiling on a job well done. "And, I must say, a purple rose really does compliment your eyes."</p>
<p>The brunette felt her ears burn, sputtering, "F-flattery won't get you anywhere!"</p>
<p>"Oh? Do you think I'm lying?"</p>
<p>"N-no..."</p>
<p>"Then, what seems to be the problem?" Diana inquired, looking at the young girl in concern.</p>
<p>"There's no problem. It's just... weird. I mean, nobody has ever complimented my eyes before..." Akko muttered shyly, avoiding her savior's gaze once again.</p>
<p>The red-eyed girl felt a warm hand on her cheek, gently making the girl turn her head to look at the heiress, which made Akko fall into a trance as she stared at those stunning blue eyes along with that kind smile.</p>
<p>Akko just couldn't explain it. Diana made it look so easy with just a simple action, but just one look and she already had Akko's attention without fail.</p>
<p>Now, even more so when the blonde spoke, "Then, let me be the first to say that your eyes are very enchanting to look at."</p>
<p>"...E-enchanting?" Akko felt her heart hammer inside her chest, internally being surprised at herself to be able to respond at all to that compliment. She just wished that it was something else, at least something that totally didn't make her sound like an idiot in front of her savior.</p>
<p>Regardless, Diana took Akko's reaction with stride. She giggled as she elaborated further, "Yes, enchanting. As in captivating, lovely, pleasant. I could go on, if you'd like?"</p>
<p>"I-I'm good, thanks!"</p>
<p>"If you insist." The young doctor smiled, standing up from the bench while she stretched her back. She then started to head out of the garden. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to return back to the manor. I won't distract you further."</p>
<p>As wonderful as their moment was, the brunette felt a bit sad to have it end. "...Diana, wait."</p>
<p>"Hmm?" Diana stopped in her tracks, turning to face Akko.</p>
<p>"What does a purple rose mean?" Akko felt her ears burn for asking such a question, but she wanted to know.</p>
<p>The heiress merely hummed, possibly debating whether to tell her or not, and once she made up her mind, she replied, "I've already told you, by technicality. I only said one part of the answer."</p>
<p>"Um, okay... Then, what's the other part?"</p>
<p>At hearing this, it was finally Diana's turn to blush, bringing a hand up to cough into her clenched fist in order to gain some form of composure. "Perhaps, another time."</p>
<p>And with that, Diana immediately turned around and headed out of the rose garden in a brisk walk before Akko had the chance to throw another question her way.</p>
<p>Now alone, the red-eyed girl removed the flower that was tucked in her hair, marveling at its beauty as she held it in her hands, recalling her savior's compliment as she said...</p>
<p>"Enchanting, huh?"</p>
<hr/>
<p>As magical as her day was the day before, the young maid felt devastated the next day...</p>
<p>"You're leaving?!" Akko shrieked in shock, grabbing and tugging on Diana's traveling cloak. "To where? How long?" She continued to say with a sad pout on her face.</p>
<p>Diana smiled, gently guiding a strand of hair behind the girl's ear. "To a distant village, and I shouldn't be gone no more than a week." She responded.</p>
<p>"Can't your patient come to you instead?" The brunette offered a solution, secretly hoping that it will be enough to persuade her savior to stay.</p>
<p>"Unfortunately, that's not an option." The heiress lamented to inform. "There are times where my clients actually travel to the manor to see me for a medical problem, however, if their health declines, then I have to make the trip to them. It's just another one of my responsibilities as a Cavendish." She reasoned, hoping deep down that Akko would understand.</p>
<p>To Diana's relieve, the red-eyed girl merely nodded as she replied with a quiet, "Okay..."</p>
<p>In truth, Diana couldn't fault Akko for her childish behavior because if she were honest with herself... she didn't want to leave either, but she had to out of obligation. This will also be Akko's first time in the manor without Diana around, and just thinking about it made the heiress anxious on what would happen if she wasn't around to watch over her...</p>
<p><b>It's bad enough that she has to deal with Aunt Daryl and my cousins...</b> Diana shook her head afterward. <b>No, no, no. I have to think positive! After all, Akko won't be alone, she'll be surrounded by people I can trust.</b> She thought optimistically.</p>
<p>Besides, it was only a week. It may seem long at first, but surely it'll fly by in a blink of an eye. What Akko needed was a bit of motivation, something to look forward to until Diana's return.</p>
<p>The heiress grabbed a hold of Akko's hand in both of her own, but not even that was enough to make the young maid look at her, and so Diana called for her attention, "Akko, look at me."</p>
<p>Hesitantly, Akko slowly turned her head to give Diana her undivided attention, though she still had an adorable pout on her face.</p>
<p>The blonde smiled softly as she continued, "I know that you're a bit upset, but I assure you that this trip won't be as long as you think. Who knows? I might even surprise you by returning home earlier than expected."</p>
<p>A glimmer of hope seemed to have sparkled on Akko's red eyes, her expression looking a bit excited just by hearing that possibility. "Really?"</p>
<p>"We shall see." Diana told her, and then a bright idea came to mind... "How about this? When I return, let's spend the day in town. Just the two of us. We can go wherever you want. How does that sound?"</p>
<p>Within seconds, a huge smile blossomed on the brunette's face. "That sounds great!"</p>
<p>"Excellent! Now, be a good little maid and help Anna around the manor. She'll take good care of you."</p>
<p>"I know."</p>
<p>"Alright then, I need to head out now. I'll see you soon, Akko." The young doctor bid farewell, turning around as she was about to open the front doors of the mansion, but before her hand even touched the doorknob...</p>
<p>"...Diana, wait."</p>
<p>"Hmm?"</p>
<p>When Diana turned around to face the girl, she jumped a bit in surprise when Akko gave her an unexpected hug, not that the heiress minded. She wrapped her arms around the young maid as she returned the embrace.</p>
<p><b>Do I really have to go?</b> Diana thought to herself, still in denial about the fact that she'll be away from Akko for a whole week, but she knew she had to go.</p>
<p>"Have a safe trip." The brunette said quietly, tightening her hold on the blonde for a bit longer before she let go.</p>
<p>Diana had to fight the urge to maintain her face as neutral as possible to show that she wasn't upset, but in the end that feeling went away when she saw Akko's adorable, bright smile.</p>
<p>That smile alone made Diana feel many things. Mainly, feeling her heart skip a beat as well as feeling the warmth spread throughout her entire being. The heiress felt like she could take on the whole world, and not even a whole week wait could make this feeling disappear...</p>
<p>"Thank you, Akko. I'll be back before you know it."</p>
<p>And with that, the front doors to the Cavendish manor closed, and Akko's happy demeanor vanished in an instant due to Diana's departure. Almost all at once Akko felt sad, cold, and lonely without her savior's presence.</p>
<p>It was agonizing, and the week had barely begun.</p>
<p>Unfortunately for Akko, patience was never really her strong suit. It never was.</p>
<p>Sighing, the young maid slowly made her way upstairs, hoping to busy herself with her servant duties as a distraction until Diana's return...</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A/N2: And, that's the end for chapter 9 folks! Poor Akko probably has to endure an entire week without her beloved Diana, but it's okay because she's going to have unexpected companionship with the green team on chapter 10!</p>
<p>For the garden scene, each color offers a distinct meaning: red, the lover's rose, signifies enduring passion; white, humility and innocence; yellow, expressing friendship and joy; pink, gratitude, appreciation and admiration; orange, enthusiasm and desire; white lilac and purple roses represent enchantment and love at first sight. I deemed the purple rose to be very fitting for this chapter. And so, I hope that you guys and gals enjoyed that little bit of fluff and romance. I certainly did! ;3</p>
<p>Anyways, as always, please let me know how I did on your comments. Kudos and bookmarks for this story are also welcome. Your comments and overall support for this story really make my day and inspires me to write more for you lovelies!</p>
<p>IN OTHER NEWS! For those of you that were around for it on Fanfiction.net, I wrote a b-day one shot for AevumAce, who's a dear friend and my lovely Beta Reader for this story. I wrote this one shot project as a way to express my gratitude for all the help and support she's given me. She also give me permission to upload her b-day one shot on Fanfiction, and now that I started an account on AO3 I will be posting it on here as well. It's called Weekend with the Cavendishes, a Dianakko fic (Sort of), you guys will understand if you decide to read it for yourselves.</p>
<p>In addition, for those of you that have yet to read it, I uploaded another Dianakko project on Fanficton and on AO3 called Love at First Brew. It's my own personal take on a modern romance between our favorite girls. Please check those out if you guys have the chance, I'd gladly appreciate the support! Lastly, rest assured, chapter 10 for Of Trials and Magic will be up and edited within two-three days time. Laters! XD</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Adventure of a Lifetime</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I don't own Little Witch Academia or any of its characters. They rightfully belong to Trigger.</p><p>A/N: Hello my lovelies, another update today! For my AO3 readers... Congratulations! You guys are finally caught up with my FFN readers, who have been immensely patient with me after all this time (Thank you so much/I am not worthy, lol). Anyways, this chapter is especially long, and I hope that you guys enjoy it. Please read to your heart's content, and I'll just leave my rant along with my notes. If any of my FFN are reading this... There was a slight change in plans, note-wise, you'll see why for when I finally post chapter 11.</p><p>I also want to thank those of you that took the time to read Weekend with the Cavendishes along with Love at First Brew! Thank you so much for the support my lovelies, I really appreciate it immensely! Enjoy the chapter! X3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“<em>Are you serious?”</em> Amanda whispered, watching Akko in amusement from afar.</p><p>The trio are currently hiding on the second floor by the stairs, they were busy staring at the young maid as she worked, who didn't look like she was working at all while she kept stealing side glances at the front doors of the manor every five seconds. The brunette almost resembled a small puppy waiting for its owner to return home.</p><p>Jasminka nodded in agreement, munching on some almonds she snatched from the kitchen. <em>“Akko has been sweeping the same spot for hours...”</em></p><p>“<em>Not just hours, DAYS!”</em> The adventurous redhead exclaimed, quietly of course so that they wouldn't be discovered. She then turned to look at Constanze and asked, <em>“How many days specifically are we talking about here?”</em></p><p>The short girl merely held up three fingers in response to her leader's question.</p><p>“<em>Look at that: Three days, three days since Cav has left the manor and this girl is acting like a lost, love-sick puppy.”</em> Amanda exaggerated, despite it being the truth. <em>“I mean, don't get me wrong, I think that this kind of scenario is cute as much as the next girl, but COME ON! It's clear that she has it bad, but this can get unhealthy real fast. We need to do something about it.”</em> She declared.</p><p>“<em>What do you suggest?”</em> Constanze signed.</p><p>The red-haired tomboy thought about it for a moment, crossing her arms while she began to think of solutions. <em>“Hmm, how about we take her with us? We can show Akko around town, and maybe she can tag along for a couple of missions with us!”</em> She spoke excitedly.</p><p>“<em>Wouldn't that be dangerous?”</em> The pink-haired adventurer spoke up in concern, <em>“She recently got a clean bill of health from Anna, and I don't think Diana would be too happy to see that Akko managed to hurt herself again when she comes back from her trip.”</em></p><p>“<em>Don't worry Jasna, don't worry! Akko will be under our watchful care and protection.” </em>Amanda reassured with utmost confidence.</p><p>And with that, the adventurous redhead got up on her feet and casually made her way down the stairs to get to the foyer, possibly going to have a small chat with the young maid.</p><p>“<em>I know that Amanda is both our leader and our friend, and that we should have faith in her, but I can't help but feel... uneasy when she tells me not to worry. Constanze, am I wrong for thinking like this?”</em> Jasminka asked her small companion, eating a handful of almonds by this point due to her feeling anxious.</p><p>Constanze merely grumbled as she signed, <em>“I don't know. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.”</em></p><hr/><p>Pretty soon after that, the trio managed to drag Akko out of the mansion once she was done with her servant duties for the day as they decided to travel to Blytonbury.</p><p>“Why are we out here again?” Akko asked for the umpteenth time today, glaring at the redhead from her backseat of the cart.</p><p>“I told you, we're going on a little field trip.” Amanda answered, feeling exasperated for having to repeat herself. “Besides, we're already here.”</p><p>Just when the redhead said that, Constance stopped the wagon as she pulled the reigns to halt the horses. Once they stopped, the brunette looked to her right at the establishment the red-haired tomboy was pointing at...</p><p>This street was filled and lined up with a lot of quaint shops, which looked lively and inviting in order to attract potential customers to their establishments, but the shop that Amanda pointed to looked abandoned and run down.</p><p>The roof of the place looked like it needed desperate repair, the windows were dark and dusty almost as if nobody had cleaned them in years, the plants that were settled on the store's front porch looked like they haven't been watered in days, and even the shop's sign looked old and worn out to the point where you could hardly make out the words.</p><p>Either the owners don't care about how their establishment was like, or nobody wasn't running the place. For Akko, both scenarios seem probable.</p><p><strong>...Last Wednesday Society?</strong> Akko sent a hesitant glance toward the trio. “Uh girls, I don't mean to burst your bubble but... this place seems too dreary for a hang out.” She told them.</p><p>Amanda approached her and wrapped an arm around the brunette's shoulders. “Heh. If you think that's dreary, just wait until you look inside.”</p><p>Once she said that, the girls walked into the gloomy-looking establishment, and true to her word the redhead was right.</p><p>The shop's ambiance was dark, save for the various candles scattered throughout the store. There were a variety of masks from many different countries hung up on the walls from protection, medical, disguise, performance, and even entertainment. Some look decent while others looked more terrifying than the last. All in all, Akko certainly felt like she was being watched at all times...</p><p>“Yep! You were right Amanda, this is <em><strong>really</strong></em> dreary!” Swallowing heavily and looking paler than usual, the brunette slowly started backing away toward the front entrance of the shop. “This was really fun and all, but I think I'm going to go home now–bye!” She managed to get out before she bumped into Jasminka, which caused Akko to let out a frightened squeak.</p><p>The pink-haired adventurer gently laid her hands on the young girl's shoulders, gently pushing her forward. “It's okay Akko, there's nothing to be afraid of.” She reassured.</p><p><strong>I can think of a lot of things...!</strong> The brunette thought nervously, her frantic eyes landing on various weapons that hung on the wall behind the store counter along with creepy specimen jars that laid on shelves. Akko could've sworn that some of them were still moving...!</p><p>Regardless of how she felt, Akko steeled her nerves and let herself be lead by the strong girl. As the small group neared the store counter, the red-eyed girl did a double-take, finally noticing the shop keeper and a customer talking in hush tones.</p><p>The client looked familiar to the brunette, almost painfully so, and upon closer inspection... Long dark blue hair that was tied in a low ponytail, fair complexion, and red eyes as deep as Akko's own. It was-</p><p><strong>It's the blue-haired woman from the alley!</strong> Akko thought in realization.</p><p>Once their hushed conversation was over, the blue-haired adventurer waved goodbye to the store owner and started making her way out of the shop, but she soon stopped dead in her tracks when she noticed the young girl's stare. “Um, may I help you?”</p><p>“N-no, I mean, yes!” Startled at being spoken to, the brunette merely shook her head while she tried to gather her composure. Once she did, Akko took a deep breath and asked, “...Have we met before? Somewhere?”</p><p>The older woman tilted her head in confusion, genuinely looking just as lost as the young girl. “I... don't believe we have. If we did, I surely would have remembered.”</p><p>“I see. I'm sorry if I bothered you...” Akko apologized.</p><p>“It's quite alright.” The blue-haired adventurer reassured. “Well, I guess I'll see you around. Good day.” She smiled while doing a small wave as she exited the premises.</p><p>As soon as the older woman left, Amanda stared at the brunette, to the point where the red-eyed girl felt uncomfortable. “W-what?”</p><p>“Nothing.” The red-haired tomboy responded dismissively.</p><p>The girls all jumped in surprise once the shop keeper spoke up with an authoritative tone. “Ladies. Unless you have business in this establishment, I'd highly suggest that you leave. I hate loiterers.”</p><p>The store owner was a rather tall woman, who appeared to be in her mid thirties with tanned skin. Unlike most women on this day and age who wore moderate dresses, she simply wore a white shirt and black pants. She also wore the store apron over her clothing, and if one were to look closely on the collar of her shirt... she wore a tribal necklace around her neck, but it remained hidden since it was tucked inside her shirt.</p><p>Her green colored mane was curly, though it was a bit messy in a way that made it look wild, almost as if she couldn't care less on how to maintain it. And finally she has sharp, golden eyes, of which they seemed to glow in the dark ambiance of the shop.</p><p>Upon first glance she looked normal and perhaps intimidating to others, but when you looked closer...</p><p><strong>She's not human...</strong> Akko realized.</p><p>Regardless of the green-haired woman's tone, Amanda merely smirked as she casually sauntered over to the counter like she already owned the place. “Zsofia, sweetheart, why do you have to be like that? You know that we're your favorite customers!”</p><p>Zsofia did not look amused in the slightest, though surprisingly she showed a small smile, revealing one of her sharp canines. “Define 'favorite.'”</p><p>“Are you serious?!”</p><p>“When am I ever not serious, O'Neill.”</p><p>“Oh, come on!” The red-haired adventurer bemoaned when she slumped over the counter with a pout. “We're one of the best adventurers you ever had! I mean, we have to be good for <strong><em>something!</em></strong>” She finished saying, giving the woman a dose of the puppy-dog eyes.</p><p>“Correction: The best adventurer we ever had in this establishment just walked out a few minutes ago. If anything, your little trio are decent errand girls.” Zsofia hid a snicker at the back her hand.</p><p>Amanda flinched as if she was burned. “Ouch. At least give the green team <em><strong>some</strong></em> credit... You've got to admit that we did a pretty good job completing missions over the years since we joined this guild.” She grumbled.</p><p>“That's it, that word right there.” Zsofia spoke, before elaborating with, “Green, you <em><strong>greenhorns.</strong></em>”</p><p>Double ouch.</p><p>The tomboy pouted, all the while scowling at the older woman. “You really don't pull any punches, do ya?”</p><p>“I'm merely jesting, kid. You girls are doing a wonderful job.” The green-haired woman reassured with a chuckle, affectionately ruffling Amanda's hair. She then looked behind her to stare at the clock. “I'm afraid I won't be able to tend to you girls today, but don't worry, I'll fetch my husband.” Zsofia took a deep breath and yelled in her native language, “<em>Férj,</em> can you please come over here? The green team are here for another mission.”</p><p>In response the girls heard a masculine, rough, and surprisingly mellow voice replying with, “I'll be right there, <em>Édesem~!</em>”</p><p>Zsofia merely rolled her eyes at hearing her husband's reply, a faint blush covering her cheeks.</p><p>The older woman's reaction was something that Amanda picked on immediately, which made her grin similarly to the Cheshire cat. “Well, well, well... What's this? I certainly didn't peg you to be the sappy kind of gal when it comes to romance~!” She teased.</p><p>“Shove it.” The green-haired woman retorted as she untied and hanged her work apron on a clothing rack, walking out from behind the store counter. “Just you wait until you get a lover of your own, O'Neill. It's rather contagious, you might even catch it and be sappy yourself.”</p><p>“Pfft, as if!” Amanda spoke in denial when she put her hands behind her head. “I'd rather be suave and charming any day.”</p><p>“Whatever you say, O'Neill.” Zsofia retorted while rolling her eyes once again, and she then stopped short once she noticed Akko, who started to shake in fright for being stared at. <strong>She looks just like...</strong></p><p>Before the green-haired woman could contemplate any further, she merely chose to remain silent as she shook her head and said goodbye to the green team, leaving the premises.</p><p>As soon as Zsofia left a chubby, brown-haired man emerged from the back of the shop. “Hello girls! How can I help you today?” He greeted them with a kind smile.</p><p>“Hey Barnat,” The red-haired tomboy gave a curtsy response, grinning all the while. “I was wondering if you could set us up with a mission today.”</p><p>“I certainly hope that you're not asking for an overly difficult mission...” Barnat purposely trailed off as he too stared at the brunette. “Who's this?” He asked, warily.</p><p><strong>Why is everyone staring at me today?!</strong> Akko thought in frustration, but regardless of how she felt, she tried her best to give a friendly smile in hopes of toning down the tension. “H-hello.”</p><p>The red-eyed girl got a bit startled once she felt a pair of strong hands on her shoulders and she turned her head to see that Jasminka was responsible for doing so. Showing a kind smile of her own, the pink-haired adventurer said, “This is our new friend, Atsuko Kagari. We brought her here to learn the ropes and become an adventurer like us.”</p><p>“So, Miss Kagari will be a part of your group then? That's fine and all, but... Is she 'cool'?” The portly man interrogated them, giving the green team a knowing look.</p><p>To say the least, the brunette looked rather insulted by Barnat's phrasing. <strong>What the hell is that supposed to mean?!</strong></p><p>“She may not look like it, but she certainly gave us a run for our money when we met a couple of days ago, she even managed to catch Amanda off guard! I think Akko will make a great adventurer!” The pink-haired girl answered happily.</p><p>In response to Jasminka's elaboration, Constanze nodded with a grunt as she gave a thumbs up in approval.</p><p>Meanwhile Amanda cleared her throat, giving a nervous laugh while slightly glaring at her teammates before she ultimately turned her attention back to the proprietor. “Yeah~, discounting that little detail... You heard the ladies, Barnat. Akko is 'cool'.” She reassured.</p><p>And just like that, Barnat's cautious attitude vanished in an instant. “Well, alright then! Welcome to the Last Wednesday Society, Miss Kagari!” He formerly welcomed the girl.</p><p>“T-thank you, but um... What's the Last Wednesday Society?” The brunette asked them.</p><p>The portly man beamed as he began to explain the functions of his establishment. “The Last Wednesday Society, or the LWS for short, stands for-”</p><p>Both Akko and Barnat jumped in surprise when Amanda suddenly slammed her hands on the store counter, exclaiming, “A guild! Where we, uh, do community service for the townspeople in need! You know, delivering medicine and food, getting rid of wild animals off people's crops, and sometimes we even assist the city guardsmen in apprehending criminals. That sort of thing! Yeah, yeah, that's it!” She summarized with an uneasy laugh.</p><p>If Akko wasn't confused before, then she certainly was now. “Okay...?”</p><p>“...I thought you said that she was 'cool'.” The brown-haired man spoke slowly with a hint of confusion in his tone, looking at the green team suspiciously while he patiently waited for an answer.</p><p>“We meant 'cool'. As in, cool of her to be hanging out with us!” Amanda retorted simply with a chuckle. Sadly, Barnat wasn't convinced at all, and so she sighed heavily, “Jas, Cons, can you please wait outside with Akko for me? Please?”</p><p>“Sure Amanda, we'll be waiting in the cart. Come on, girls.” Jasminka took charge as she led Akko and Constanze out of the store.</p><p>Now that they were alone, the proprietor crossed his arms and said, “Spill. Now.”</p><p>“Look, I'm really sorry for lying to you, Barnat.” The short-haired tomboy began with an apology, “But I can explain! You see...”</p><p>Amanda proceeded to tell Barnat of their current situation without pause and the brown-haired man just stood there with closed eyes and arms crossed over his chest, intently listening to the teenager while he took all the information in.</p><p>“So, you're basically telling me... that you brought a possible NORMIE into my MAGICAL shop?!” Barnat exclaimed from the top of his lungs, uncrossing his arms in order to ball his hands into angry fists. “Do you realize the possible consequences that could've ensued because of your recklessness?! All of our necks are on the line here!” He hissed.</p><p>The red-haired tomboy raised her hands in defense. “What the hell man?! I told you everything in confidence as a sign of our FRIENDSHIP! You're supposed to be the level-headed one!”She stated.</p><p>“Oh yeah, use that old, pathetic excuse why don't ya.” The proprietor rolled his eyes when he heard Amanda's so-called “justification”. “I <em><strong>definitely</strong></em> have something to tell my wife when she finally gets home tonight. She outta get a kick out of this.” He said with a halfhearted chuckle.</p><p>“Are you insane?! She's going to kill you!” Amanda gasped, her eyes widening in fright.</p><p>“I WAS BEING SARCASTIC! What do you take me for, an idiot?!” Barnat practically roared in fury, similarly to an actual bear.</p><p>The young adventurer took a step back. “Dude, your fangs are showing.” She pointed out with a shaky finger.</p><p>At hearing this, the brown-haired man swiftly covered his mouth. <em>“And, who's fault is that?”</em> He muffled a retort. <em>“Bless the nine that Zsofia isn't the one dealing with you right now...”</em></p><p>“And that's why you're my buddy!” Amanda said in glee, showing off one of those casual grins that makes you want to kill a certain individual for being so stupid. “So, uh... Are you just going to stand there? Am I not going to get my next mission?” She asked him, her smile wavering a bit due to nervousness as well as the awkward silence that followed.</p><p>Barnat did not look amused. At all. He simply stared at the short-haired tomboy with a blank stare, possibly debating on what to say next or maybe he was purposely tuning out Amanda completely. Who could say?</p><p>The silence was almost too much to bear, and ultimately Amanda cracked under the pressure when she slumped against the counter, bringing up her clasp hands as a plea. “Please Barnat, don't make me beg. I said I was sorry, alright? I give you my word that this little incident can stay between us. Nobody will know, especially your wife! Huh, huh? What do you say bud?”</p><p>Still no response.</p><p>“Please~!” The young adventurer let out a pathetic whine, giving her best dose of the puppy-dog eyes. However, the portly man has yet to react towards her attempts to mend the situation, and Amanda finally let her shoulders slack in defeat. She wasn't done quite yet though. “Come on man, give me another chance! Please don't make me go out there and disappoint my team! They already tease me enough as is.”</p><p>“Good.” Barnat talked at last, rather coldly. “Maybe that'll teach you to be more responsible with your actions.” Amanda seemed to deflate much further with every word the man spoke. “However,” He continued while taking out a box from under the store counter and laid it on the surface. “I do have a suitable mission lined up for you girls, and it just so happens that important cargo needs to be delivered...”</p><p>At hearing this, the red-haired tomboy instantly went back to her old self. “Aw Barnie, you do care!”</p><p>“Don't push it.” The proprietor grumbled, but regardless of his words, he still showed a small smile on his face.</p><p>Amanda let out a nervous chuckle, mumbling, “Sorry.”</p><hr/><p>The red-haired adventurer lost herself in thought when she finally exited the store. She was plotting out their route in her mind, going over different possible scenarios to avoid thieves.</p><p>Jasminka came to stand beside her. "Well?"</p><p>"Ladies, we are heading to Wells!” Amanda declared. “We need to leave Blytonbury and head northwest through the Mendip hills until we reach the port of entry to get to the city. The less trouble we have to slip past, the better."</p><p>"What do you mean by trouble?" Akko asked from the back. “There are thieves?”</p><p>"Yep, we're a small caravan. Cargo on wheels such as this baby attracts bandits and thieves alike." Amanda said, slapping the side of the cart. She then stepped forward and laid her hand on Akko's shoulder. "Time to go, runt."</p><p>They traveled for about half an hour on the road with nothing but idle chatter keeping them entertained along with the sounds of nature around them.</p><p>"Are we there yet?" Akko droned in boredom for the umpteenth time since they left Blytonbury.</p><p>“Not yet~!” Amanda spoke irritably before suddenly turning serious, snapping the reigns to urge the horses to go a bit faster. “Say Akko, how do you feel about magic?” She asked out of the blue.</p><p>Noticeably, Jasminka and Constanze stiffened in their seats while they looked at their leader as if she grew two heads. The pink-haired adventurer certainly didn't hesitate to not-so-lightly punch Amanda on her shoulder.</p><p>“<em>Oi! What the hell Jasna?! That hurt!”</em> The redhead whispered exasperatedly, glaring at the girl beside her.</p><p>“<em>I thought that we agreed not to talk about magic in front of Akko. We promised Diana that we wouldn't!”</em> Jasminka reminded her.</p><p>Constanze seemed to be in agreement with the strong girl since she was nodding profusely.</p><p>“<em>Yes, we did, BUT~ it's not like I'm saying, 'Hey Akko, guess what? We're witches!'”</em> Amanda exaggerated. <em>“Cav didn't say anything about that now, did she? Besides, you girls can relax, I'm just testing the waters to see how Akko thinks about the current times.”</em> She tried to reason with them.</p><p>Jasminka looked unsure, mumbling, <em>“I don't know...”</em></p><p>“<em>Just give me a chance, Jasna. I'll ask this one and only question.”</em> The short-haired tomboy reassured.</p><p>Oblivious to their interaction, the brunette looked down at her work worn hands, balling them into fists as she contemplated Amanda's question...</p><p>Since the incident in her home village, Akko had considered herself to be cursed, or maybe just having rotten luck all together.</p><p>Does she consider magic to be good?</p><p>That's hard to say. Up until now, the brunette hasn't even done anything extraordinary with her newfound powers. Could she even consider it as a gift?</p><p>On that fateful day, Akko managed to miraculously stop a fire from spreading in her home, saving herself along with her mother from the unexpected flames... But, at what cost? This one seemingly good deed almost made Akko lose her life. Not only that, but she also lost her home, her friends, and her family all in one day.</p><p>Does she consider magic to be bad?</p><p>Well, that's also hard to say because if it weren't for that incident, Akko wouldn't have had the chance to meet Diana. Meeting the heiress had been Akko's one and only silver lining over the whole ordeal.</p><p>Admittedly, if their chance encounter hadn't happened, then things would've been much worse for the red-eyed girl. She would've dropped dead on the road and die from her injuries. Then again, there was also the unfortunate possibility of being hunted down by her fellow humans, and all because she was different from them...</p><p><strong>Will Diana react the same way once she finds out I'm a freak?</strong> Akko wondered, finding that scenario almost too painful to bear, or to imagine.</p><p>Just thinking of Diana's warm, kind demeanor towards her suddenly change to a cold scorn that would make her feel so insignificant... Akko would rather not be alive to see it.</p><p>Amanda's sudden question might've been simple, in hindsight, but to the brunette... it was a sore subject to talk about.</p><p>After what felt like an eternity, Akko finally responded, “I guess, you could say I'm indifferent.”</p><p>At hearing her reply, Constanze tilted her head in confusion.</p><p>“Indifferent?” Jasminka repeated with genuine curiosity.</p><p>“I... I just...” The red-eyed girl faltered a bit with her words, ultimately sighing, “I don't want to talk about it.”</p><p>“I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry...” The strong girl apologized.</p><p>Akko showed a small smile. “It's okay, really.” She reassured.</p><p><strong>Indifferent, huh? Then it's one of two scenarios: Either Akko is a witch like us, or maybe she's a normal girl who's too scared to say what's really on her mind, possibly in fear of being imprisoned or worse.</strong> Amanda deduced as she let out a long, heavy sigh. <strong>This world is so messed up...</strong></p><p>The redhead let her eyes wander away from the path ahead and looked over her shoulder, catching a glimpse of the brunette for a moment before she returned her gaze back to the road once again. “If it makes you feel any better, <strong><em>we're all on the same boat.</em></strong>”</p><p><strong>What does she mean by that?</strong> Akko wondered.</p><p>Amanda's words were so sudden, sounding honest and sincere, and it was almost as if the tomboy knew what she was going through. But that could just be Akko's imagination, right? However, before she could even have the chance to question the redhead about it...</p><p>Constanze's blue eyes suddenly widened in alarm, her body going stiff in her seat.</p><p>“Are you okay, Constanze?” The red-eyed girl asked in concern, noticing the short girl's reaction.</p><p>Akko's question seemed to have fallen on deaf ears because Constanze merely ignored her and moved to the front of the cart, poking at Jasminka's shoulder to catch the strong girl's attention.</p><p>“Hmm?” The pink-haired adventurer looked down to her small companion, who was now pointing frantically behind them toward the distance. Seeing the potential threat, Jasminka merely hummed in contemplation while she sent a side glance toward her leader. “Don't look now Amanda, but I think we're going to have company...” She warned.</p><p>The red-haired tomboy showed a cocky smirk. “You don't have to tell me twice. They're in front of us too...”</p><p>“Wait... So, you mean to tell me that we're surrounded on both sides?!” Akko exclaimed, looking behind them to notice a caravan in the distance.</p><p>They weren't very close to their wagon, likely so they wouldn't look suspicious Akko guessed. But that didn't mean that they wouldn't be on their tail soon. The people driving the cart looked like the shady sort, and when the brunette looked at the other side far up the road, she was met with the same results...</p><p>They really were surrounded.</p><p>“Just relax Akko, we got this!” Amanda told her with sheer confidence, not a trace of fear in her body language. Instead, she showed fierce bravado as she started giving instructions to her team, “Constanze, start getting your crossbow ready. Once I give my signal, you can start shooting. Jasminka, mind taking the reigns for me?”</p><p>“You got it.” The pink-haired adventurer accepted them.</p><p>Meanwhile, Constanze gave a thumbs up when she went to get her weapon ready. She held a small crossbow bolt up to the light, watching it glint as she slowly rolled it between her gloved fingers before she started loading her weapon for the upcoming battle.</p><p>Amanda then maneuvered herself to the back of the cart, sitting beside Akko. “Hold out your hands and close your eyes.” She ordered.</p><p>The brunette did as she was told, and as soon as she did, Akko felt something cold and hard pressed into the palm of her right hand. She looked down to find the hilt of a dagger clutched in her fist.</p><p>Cold shock shot though Akko's body. She stared at the knife in dumbfound confusion for several minutes. Then, slowly, she raised her eyes again to meet Amanda's.</p><p>The redhead was staring at her casually, conveniently hiding a long stick near the front of the caravan to have it accessible. "I figure you'd better learn how to defend yourself a little, instead of relying on your speed when running away."</p><p>Akko's mouth fell open. She searched Amanda's eyes, hoping desperately to find some sign that she was joking, and finding none. Her gaze fell back to the dagger in her hand. She tried to imagine shoving that into someone else's body; her insides churned at the thought of such a scenario occurring.</p><p>"M-me?” The red-eyed girl stammered, “I... I don't really…"</p><p>“Listen to me Akko,” Amanda grabbed Akko's shoulders, looking the young girl in the eye. “There comes a time in everyone's lives in where you have to take risks. In our case, it's mostly life or death, which is still the same thing since there's a risk involved. The point is: You need to find courage. You want to see Diana again, don't you?”</p><p>“More than anything...” Akko answered honestly, wishing that she could be anywhere else but here. Now that she thought about it... she didn't even want to be here! “This is why I wanted to stay at the manor. To avoid situations like <strong>THIS!</strong>”</p><p>“Hey now!” The short-haired tomboy shifted away from the brunette to avoid her wrath. “We only brought you out here out of the goodness of our hearts. Otherwise, you would've been a zombie by the time Cav decided to return home.”</p><p>Akko's face flushed red in embarrassment, already putting two-and-two together by figuring out that the green team had been watching her this entire time. “T-that wouldn't happen!”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Amanda spoke dismissively, heading her way back to sit at the front. “Do me a favor and be sure to throw that stick to me when I give the signal, alright?”</p><p>“How will the signal loo-”</p><p>“You'll know it when you see it.”</p><p>“<em>Shh,”</em> Jasminka hushed them. <em>“I'm about to stop the cart.”</em> She informed the girls in a low voice before she raised it again to say, “Whoa boy~!”</p><p>By pulling the reigns, the horses slowed down upon command. Their cart stopped completely a few feet away from the suspicious group in front of them, of which already had stopped and dismounted their own caravan. Similarly, the group that was following behind them did the same.</p><p>“Oi, buddy! You mind moving your wagon? We have somewhere to be!” Amanda yelled impatiently, jumping off the cart as she confronted them.</p><p>The leader of this group was a bulky man, whose nose was bandaged with ugly gauze. His bruised face sported a wicked look. They were surrounded by a mob of his crew and all of them had their various weapons drawn.</p><p>“We can see that, doll face.” The boss commented, completely dismissing Amanda's request as he glanced over their cargo. “That's a lot of crates ya got there... Mind telling me what you're delivering?”</p><p>“We have nothing of value to you.” The short-haired tomboy responded, her voice cold as ice. “We're simple farmhands doing a simple delivery to the next town over.”</p><p>The leader looked skeptical, commenting, “You girls don't look like farmhands to me...”</p><p>“Just like you boys don't look like thugs to me. See? We have a lot in common already...” Amanda gave a cheeky response, showing a small smile while she deviously shuffled her boots in the sand.</p><p>The boss man smirked, his left hand slowly making it's way up to reach the hilt of his sword. “...I guess we do.”</p><p>The next event that followed happened so fast that Akko herself struggled to comprehend what was going on. In a flash, Amanda's small smile turned into a huge grin when she swiftly brought her right leg up in a gutsy high kick, bringing up a generous amount of dirt in the air...</p><p>As expected, sand got into the man's eyes, causing him to groan in frustration while he tried his best to get rid of the dust in his eyes. “D-dammit!”</p><p>“Now!”</p><p>At the sound of Amanda's voice, the brunette straightened up and sprang into action, her body moving on auto-pilot as she grabbed the redhead's staff from its hiding place and threw it toward Amanda's direction. “Amanda!”</p><p>The tomboy perked up at the mention of her name, and she pivoted in time to catch her weapon of choice.</p><p>No sooner that she did, Amanda felt a strong hand on her shoulder, forcing her to turn around. "You think you can get away from me?!” The leader spoke in outrage.</p><p>
  <em>SHUNK</em>
</p><p>A crossbow bolt slammed into her aggressor's shoulder and he stumbled, screaming in pain, and that was all the distraction Amanda needed to take this opportunity by the horns as she quickly shuffled to the side and swept the man off his feet with a good swing at the back of his knees.</p><p>The mob leader yelped once again as he collapsed pathetically on the ground.</p><p>When she finished, the red-haired adventurer took off toward the wagon, knocking out a couple of the bandits to clear the way as she climbed onto the back of the caravan. “Go, go, go!” She yelled at Jasminka to get a move on.</p><p>“Hyah!” The strong girl shouted as she snapped the reigns, making the horses go into a full gallop to get out of there.</p><p>A massive dust cloud enveloped around the mob group, causing a couple of them to cough or be temporarily blinded.</p><p>Once their leader gathered his bearings, he glared at them while hollering, “Don't just stand there, you idiots! Get them!”</p><p>Far ahead, Akko and the green team were going full speed ahead. It was exhilarating. The brunette found herself laughing in delight while the breeze whipped into her face.</p><p>“See? Didn't I tell ya that we had everything under control?” Amanda yelled against the wind.</p><p>“I'm sorry that I ever doubted you!” Akko replied.</p><p>From there, in the blink of an eye, the thieves had managed to catch up to them as they rode their own horses. There were no more than four men including their leader, who obviously led the charge despite being injured.</p><p>Two bandits started shooting arrows at them from horseback, and the girls tried their best to duck and shield themselves as much as they could on the wagon.</p><p>The red-eyed girl looked annoyed as she said, “Wow. These guys don't give up, do they?”</p><p>“Well, let's kick it up a notch then!” The short-haired tomboy exclaimed, having her staff tightly clutched in her hands. She then looked at Constanze, asking, “Hey Cons, you think you can cover me while under fire?”</p><p>The small adventurer gave a thumbs up in response, already being one step ahead while she started loading another crossbow bolt.</p><p>“What a trooper!” Amanda praised with a grin.</p><p>“Uh, what should I do?” Akko asked, pointing to herself.</p><p>“Make sure that these bastards don't get anywhere near the cargo.” The redhead ordered. “Oh, and be sure to cover Constanze while she loads her weapon.” She added.</p><p>“I don't know what you girls are planning to do, but you'd better do it fast!” Jasminka spoke exasperatedly, doing her best to avoid her fair share of arrows while driving the cart. “It's getting difficult to drive!”</p><p>No sooner had the strong girl said that, the villains shot two more arrows toward their direction, both of them missing once again...</p><p>
  <em>SHUNK</em>
</p><p>Constanze managed to aim and fire another bolt towards the thieves. The dart had embedded itself on one of the archers' legs. The man screamed in pain, ultimately losing his balance as he fell off his horse.</p><p>Despite being without a rider, the horse just kept going.</p><p>Four left.</p><p>Almost without warning, Amanda took a leap of faith as she jumped from the caravan over to the bandit's horse, landing a bit clumsily on the saddle once she stuck the landing. “Oh, shit!”</p><p>From there, the remaining thugs decided to split into two groups: One of the thieves squared off against Amanda while the other three went ahead to try and raid the wagon.</p><p>"Akko, don't let any of them get near the cart!" Jasminka instructed, whipping the horses. They needed no encouragement; they snorted and urged themselves to go faster.</p><p>“R-right!” Akko nodded nervously.</p><p>There were three sharp thuds as arrows buried themselves on her side of the cart that she'd been shielding herself in. Akko shakily came up to her feet with her weapon drawn and when she did, she just barely managed to deflect a blade that swung at her head.</p><p><strong>What the hell?!</strong> The brunette thought in shock.</p><p>She didn't have time to really analyze anything. The thief whipped his sword at her midsection, and Akko twisted to avoid it as she blocked another blow to her neck. At the rate they were going, the red-eyed girl would barely get the chance for a counter attack, even more so with her lack of combat skills.</p><p>Luckily, Constanze was ready to support Akko. Once she finished loading her weapon, she pointed her crossbow again and pulled the trigger at them. The bolt hit the man's horse by stabbing it in the neck, however the arrow itself was not enough to render the horse useless, but the hit was enough to spook the stallion as it did an abrupt stop, bucking his rider off the saddle.</p><p>Three more left to evade.</p><p>The brunette sighed in relief once she got a breather, “Thanks, Constanze!”</p><p>Constanze merely nodded while showing a small smile, or at least she tried to as a bulky, calloused hand suddenly grabbed hold of her ponytail. The leader had decided to take a leap of faith of his own as he jumped off from his horse and onto the side of the caravan, catching the small adventurer by surprise from behind.</p><p>Constanze wailed in pain, tears welling up in her eyes as she was forced to let go of her weapon. She brought her hands up in an attempt to make the man let go of her hair, but his grip proved to be too strong.</p><p>The boss man sneered. “I outta repay you for injuring my shoulder...”</p><p>Weapon drawn, the red-eyed girl charged towards them. “Get your grimy hands off her!”</p><p>Instead of dodging, the thug met her head on as he single-handedly deflected Akko's arm, pushing the dagger away from him and clenched convulsively on her shirt. The brunette was lifted up and off the ground in seconds. She just barely managed to keep her instincts from kicking in and stabbed the knife into the leader's arm.</p><p>Her aggressor turned a dour glare at her. “You know, instead of playing hero... Why don't you play dead for me instead?!” He suggested.</p><p>And just like that, Akko was thrown off the cart.</p><p>Rolling on the dirt, and miraculously not being stomped to death by the small stampede of horses, the brunette winced at the amount of bruises and grazes she earned. Once she finally came to a stop, she had no time to groan in pain or even get up to her knees as a strong, swift hand suddenly grabbed her shirt from behind and pulled Akko up and off the ground...</p><p>In a daze, the red-eyed girl shook her head and opened her eyes, only for them to widen in surprise when she realized she was hovering in mid-air while going at a moderate speed.</p><p>“...Am I...flying?” Akko wondered aloud.</p><p>“You wish!” Amanda gave a sarcastic reply, currently struggling with riding the horse by holding its reigns and keeping a hold of her staff in her left hand, and of course keeping Akko aloft with her right.</p><p>A rather impressive rescue for the tomboy to pull off, but obviously she was not Jasminka when it came to the strength department. The strong girl could've single-handedly performed this feat in one fell swoop by pulling Akko up to the saddle. Unlike her, Amanda does not have the necessary arm strength to pull her friend up.</p><p><strong>This rescue was way cooler in my head...</strong> The redhead thought to herself, letting out a heavy sigh. “Hey Akko, mind climbing up? You're kind of heavy.”</p><p>With a nervous, “Uh-huh...!” Akko lifted herself onto the saddle. “Thank you, Amanda.”</p><p>“Don't thank me just yet,” Amanda spoke, anger rising in her tone. “We still have to rescue Cons from the hands of that gorilla!” Finishing her sentence, Amanda whipped the reigns to allow the horse to close in on the carriage.</p><p>Constanze was about to suffer the same drop as Akko by the time they managed to catch up. The boss of the bandits hurled the poor girl like a ragdoll off the wagon.</p><p>“Akko, here!” Amanda shouted, forcing the pole she was previously using as a weapon into Akko's hands.</p><p>“What do you want me to do with this?!” Akko stammered, “W-why can't you do this yourself?!”</p><p>“Um, let's see...” The red-haired girl grumbled. “Maybe it's because I had to pick someone up after they got a mouthful of dirt?” As she said this, she rotated the shoulder of the arm she had used to pick up Akko previously, as if it wasn't obvious.</p><p>“Oh, uh... sorry...” Akko quieted down. This didn't last long, she focused.</p><p>Constanze was still in the air, and if she timed it right, she could snag her shirt onto the pole with ease. The only problem would be the same one Amanda had, holding on.</p><p>She lifted the pole in the air and willed it into her to keep it steady as the young girl was caught. “Don't worry Constaze, we've got you!” Akko yelled, sighing in relief that it worked.</p><p>“Nice catch, Akko!” Amanda complimented.</p><p>Akko felt a surge of emotions welling up in her. She really did a good job!</p><p>But this was cut short with some more choice words from Amanda as she said, “Now throw her back.”</p><p>“What?!” Akko yelled, a bit indignant that the moment was cut short.</p><p>“Throw her back, I'm sure I didn't stutter...”</p><p>“But why? You just saw what happened to both of us!”</p><p>“Well, she knows what she signed up for. Throw her back.”</p><p>Akko sighed and followed instructions. She felt it was at least proper to inform Constanze of the situation.</p><p>“Hey, um... We're going to throw you back. Is that okay with you?” The brunette asked sheepishly.</p><p>Constanze just gave her regular thumbs up and seemed to be bracing for what was to come. It was then that Akko pulled her arms back and thrust them forward with as much might as she could. As the pole bent due to the force, the small girl was propelled back into the air.</p><p>Constanze soared through the air, tucking herself into a ball and doing a roll landing back onto the wagon. Safe.</p><p>“What the hell?!” The thief leader exclaimed, turning around to witness the small adventurer's comeback. “I thought I threw you overboard!”</p><p>Grabbing her discarded weapon, Constanze hurriedly readied her crossbow, trying to get a good aim of the bandit boss before he got close to her. Unfortunately, she wasn't fast enough as the man managed to get a hold of her and snatch her weapon away, however the thug dropped it soon after when he felt sudden weight jump onto his back...</p><p>The spirit of adventure must've awakened inside the brunette because Akko took a leap of faith from the horse she and Amanda were riding on onto the carriage. With the redhead's weapon in hand and with swift precision, Akko hooked the staff against the man's neck to hold him back.</p><p>“<em>...Get off me!”</em> The leader gasped, chocking while he tried his best to fight off his assailant.</p><p>Regardless of the man's efforts, Akko just held on tighter. “Now Constanze, shoot him now!” She yelled.</p><p>Surprised by this sudden turn of events, Constanze took her sweet time retrieving her crossbow before she finally recovered her bearings and took a shot. The bandit boss crumpled to the ground, feebly clutching at the blood gushing wound in his abdomen. Akko had fell to the ground with him, releasing her grip and headed toward Constanze, standing tall with her weapon at the ready in case the man tried anything else against them...</p><p>Luckily, they didn't have to worry.</p><p>“I've had just about enough of this nonsense!”</p><p>The thief yelped when he felt a strong, and yet surprisingly delicate hand grab him behind his neck, the other grabbing a generous amount of the man's coat as he was slowly being lifted up in the air.</p><p>Constanze's blue eyes light up in excitement while smiling up at their savior, putting her crossbow over her shoulder as she clapped in awe.</p><p>“Holy crap...” The red-eyed girl gasped in amazement, her grip on the staff slackening just the slightest bit before she adjusted her hold once again. <strong>Wait... If she's here, then-!</strong> “Jasminka! Who's driving the wagon?!”</p><p>“Yo~!” Amanda, who was now driving the cart, greeted them from the front. She looked over her shoulder at them. “We switched at the last second! It's only fair, ya?” She finished saying with a wink.</p><p>“Don't worry ladies, I'll take it from here.” Jasminka reassured them.</p><p>And just like that the strong girl headed to the end of the wagon and with a powerful, precise throw she launched the bandit leader towards the last remaining grunts of his gang. The two thieves had no choice but to halt their horses, but regardless of their actions, they still collided with their boss and fell off their horses into a heap of limbs on the ground.</p><p>The girls cheered in victory as they rode off into the distance, escaping to safety.</p><hr/><p>Akko and the green team had made it to Wells by sundown, passing through the entrance once they got the “All clear” from the guardsmen. The brunette hardly remembers how the city looked like, mainly because exhaustion had finally set in once the adrenaline and excitement wore off, and so she dozed off.</p><p>The next time she opened her eyes, she was startled awake when the wagon suddenly did an abrupt stop, which made Akko fall off her seat and bump her head against one of the crates...</p><p>“Ouch...!” The red-eyed girl whimpered, gently rubbing the sore spot on her forehead.</p><p>“Oh, shit! My bad, Akko!” Amanda apologized. “I forgot that you were asleep. We're already here.” She informed her.</p><p>“Where's here-” Akko got up to her feet, only to be tackled back to the ground by Jasminka. As she fell, everything felt as if it was going in slow motion and the brunette could've sworn she saw an arrow zipping by, embedding itself onto something in the distance. <strong>T-That could've killed me!</strong> She thought in shock.</p><p>Constanze and Jasminka were hovering over the young girl in concern.</p><p>“Are you alright, Akko? You didn't get hurt, right?” The pink-haired adventurer asked.</p><p>“I-I'm fine, I'm fine.” The red-eyed girl reassured, finally sitting up to look around her surroundings. “...Where are we?”</p><p>They certainly weren't in Wells any more, that's for sure. The landscape of the city drastically changed into a dark, dense forest. The lack of light in these woods was rather ridiculous for the brunette, she could hardly look up at the sky with how thick the tree branches are, their leaves obscuring as much sunlight as possible.</p><p>“Oi! Are you insane?! You could've killed my friend here!” Amanda yelled in outrage toward a small crowd of people.</p><p>“You are in no position to make demands, human.” A feminine rough, authoritative voice spoke loud and clear, snorting indignantly.</p><p>Akko's eyes widened in surprise when she gazed upon these women as well as their current predicament...</p><p>They were surrounded.</p><p>More female warriors popped up from the trees and bushes in the forest, each of them having their weapons at the ready ranging from axes, clubs, knifes, spears, swords, and even bows and arrows.</p><p>These women looked strong, intimidating, but most importantly they seemed like the kind of people who would want to do things now –despite of the possible consequences– and ask questions later. Their armor as well as their clothing mostly consisted of animal skins, primarily that of a Boar, which gave them more of an exotic look. The other thing that they had in common is that all of them wore a single identical earring on their right ear.</p><p><strong>They're... Amazons? I guess they must be our clients.</strong> Akko thought to herself, feeling her face settle into a scowl. <strong>I wonder why they act so aggressive toward us...</strong></p><p>Regardless of how things looked, Amanda let out a chuckle while commenting, <em>“Well, they sure do know how to do a warm welcome, don't they?”</em></p><p>“<em>Amanda, please keep your sarcasm to a minimum.”</em> Jasminka hissed out in reprimand.</p><p>“<em>Right, right, my bad.”</em> The tomboy apologized as she decided to take things seriously. Amanda stood up from her seat and jumped off the carriage. “Ladies, it's okay. We don't mean you any harm. My team and I are a part of the LWS Guild, and we were tasked to deliver this cargo to you.” She assured them.</p><p>“Excellent. My name is Athena, and I am the group leader of this troop.” The Boar warrior introduced herself.</p><p>Athena was a tall, fairly buff woman with alabaster skin. Her long mane was black, which cascaded down in waves over her shoulders. And finally, to further adorn her beauty were her eyes, of which are a nice shade of lilac that brimmed with intelligence.</p><p>“Is the Glamour intact?” The Amazon leader asked, but it was voiced as a demand.</p><p>Amanda nodded, showing a small grin. “Absolutely. All six crates are unharmed, and there's more than enough Glamour for all of you.”</p><p>Athena looked satisfied from hearing the adventurer's response. She turned to one of her comrades and said, “Inform the chief.” and as soon as the other Amazon left, Athena continued to give instructions, “As for the rest of you... search the crates.” She ordered.</p><p><strong>How can they be so-</strong> Akko's train of thought no longer remained her own as she recklessly voiced out, “What is wrong with you people?! You don't trust us, is that it?! We already told you-”</p><p>“<strong>AKKO!</strong>” Amanda's voice rang loud and clear for all of them to hear, and the brunette flinched in visible shame, already knowing that she did something she wasn't supposed to.</p><p>In response the Boar warrior set her sharp, cold, lilac gaze on the young girl. Clearly, she looked displeased. “It seems that this human does not know how to hold her own tongue... Shall I sever it for you? Maybe then, you will learn some manners and think twice before speaking out of turn again!”</p><p>“My sincerest apologies, Your Grace.” The red-haired tomboy began with a heart-felt apology, sounding serious while she fell down to her knees and bowed her head in respect to their client. “My friend is rather new to this occupation. It is my fault as her leader for not teaching her the full aspects of this job. The blame falls solely on me.”</p><p>When Amanda finished speaking, the forest and everything else around them fell into a deathly silence.</p><p>Nobody dared to speak, nobody dared to move a single muscle. The only sounds coming from the rustling trees due to the wind. It was suffocating, and the quiet was slowly evidently killing Akko from the inside.</p><p>The brunette feared the possibility of Amanda, Constanze, and Jasminka suffering a horrible punishment because of her reckless actions. Just thinking about it made Akko's entire body shake in fright for what was to come.</p><p>After what seemed to be like an eternity, Athena finally spoke, “Raise your head, mortal. You are forgiven. This time.”</p><p>“Thank you, Your Grace.” Amanda replied gratefully.</p><p>The Amazon leader merely snorted, ignoring the adventurer. She then snapped her fingers to catch her troop's attention. “Don't just stand there, check the crates! We're burning daylight!” She practically barked at them to get a move on.</p><p>The rest of their exchange went without further incident. After verifying that their requested item was indeed there, each of the Amazons carried out a box as they filtered out one by one into the forest, venturing deeper into the woods and out of sight. The few warriors that remained still had their weapons drawn and aimed toward Akko and the green team...</p><p>Athena signaled to her subordinates to stand down. “You humans have about ten minutes to make yourselves scarce. Otherwise, we'll hunt you down.” She warned them.</p><p>Despite receiving such a threat, Amanda gave a warm smile as she got back on the wagon. “It was a pleasure doing business with you.”</p><p>“The same goes to you as well. Thank you for your service.” The Amazon leader thanked them, though her tone was flat. She then added, “Our Chieftain will make sure to compensate you for a job well done. He will send the payment straight to the LWS within the next couple of days.”</p><p>“Thank you very much~!” The short-haired tomboy sang merrily upon hearing the news, snapping the reigns of the horses to get a move on before their time limit expired. “Adieu!”</p><hr/><p>Dusk overtook Blytonbury within a blink of an eye, and it was at this time when the citizens enjoy the nightly activities that the town had to offer. The main bustle attraction being the local taverns.</p><p>The first things you'll immediately notice upon entering such an establishment was blaring conversations all around along with a strong scent of alcohol, but at times it would be balanced out with the pleasant aroma of food.</p><p>The patrons are just as rambunctious as they played cards or billiards, sometimes they would even have needless bets on drinking contests or on cockfighting, anything to make their time enjoyable.</p><p>For two particular women, it was gossip, or so other people think. Pubs are one of, if not, the best places to hold important business. The environment was naturally loud and so it would be near impossible to have potential eavesdroppers, unless they were sitting close on those kinds of meetings.</p><p>A blue-haired woman was coughing up a storm when she accidentally choked on her drink, a slight consequence for reacting to something her friend said.</p><p>“Wait a moment,” Ursula straightened her glasses once she gathered her composure. She then started interrogating her companion by asking, “Who exactly made you think that someone looks like me?”</p><p>“Oh, come on, Ursa.” Zsofia teased her, rolling her eyes as she did so. “It should be obvious. That girl you've talked to back at the LWS, who apparently claims to have met you somewhere else before, need I go on? The point is she reminded me of you when you were much younger. You used to have so much energy, so much drive, passion, charisma, and not to mention curiosity with a need of adventure to boot! You just can't deny it.” She then sighed in content, reminiscing on the past. “Those were the days...”</p><p>“But I genuinely don't remember meeting her before...” Ursula replied honestly, absentmindedly staring down at her half-empty wine glass.</p><p>Zsofia rested her chin in her hands, humming as she stated, “Well, the girl definitely wasn't lying. She was sincere when she questioned you about it.”</p><p>“Nothing gets past you, you're basically a walking lie detector.” The adventurer said with a smile.</p><p>“Hey, don't praise me too much now, even I have my days...” The shifter admitted. She then gave her friend a serious look. “Are you sure that you haven't met that girl before? Maybe you ran into her somewhere before you changed your identity? Or, perhaps you saw her on a festival? Probably on one of your missions? There has to be something.” She gave suggestions.</p><p>“I don't know, I really don't know!” Ursula answered, a bit exasperated as she took off her glasses in order to pinch the bridge of her nose. She could already feel a headache coming on. “I definitely don't remember her from any of my missions, and the last time I went to a festival as the real me was ten years ago...” She sighed heavily, feeling the shame of that horrible night creeping up on her again. It took a moment or two before she started talking again, “I certainly can't remember someone from the top of my head, especially if it was a decade ago.”</p><p>“Then you, my dear, must have a terrible memory.” Zsofia gave a snarky retort, to which Ursula swiftly responded with a kick to the shin in swift retribution. The green-haired woman's breath hitched in her throat, biting her bottom lip in order not to draw attention to herself. <em>“I'll shut up now...”</em> She whispered pitifully.</p><p>“Serves you right.” The blue-haired adventurer huffed in satisfaction, finishing the rest of her drink.</p><p>Zsofia merely whined when she laid her head on the table, looking as if someone had kicked her pet dog. As soon as she let her head down, she lifted it up just as quickly, her nose picking up a couple of familiar scents. “Speak of the devil...”</p><p>At the sound of her friend's voice, the adventurer turned her head toward the entrance of the tavern.</p><p>A small group of young women walked into the establishment, and it didn't take long for Ursula to identify the green team along with the new girl she saw earlier during the day. Amanda talked to the proprietor first, possibly to say what they wanted from the menu, before the girls had decided to seat themselves on a table that was relatively close to theirs. They settled into idle chatter as they waited for their drinks and meals to arrive.</p><p>Admittedly, Ursula grew curious about their conversation, but unfortunately she could hardly hear their talk at all over the blaring noise in the pub...</p><p><strong>Ugh, if only I could read lips...</strong> The blue-haired woman thought in frustration, pouting all the while. A chuckle caught her attention, which made Ursula look at her companion.</p><p>Zsofia merely smiled as she pointed to her ears, winking while saying, “I gotcha.”</p><p>Pretty soon after Zsofia's and Ursula's subtle arrangement the proprietor had arrived at the green team's table with their drinks on hand, leaving soon after to tend to other patrons.</p><p>Akko and the green team had erupted with delight as they clunked their mugs together. “CHEERS!”</p><p>“Let's congratulate ourselves on a job well done, ladies!” Amanda spoke up with a huge grin. “Barnat will definitely be a happy camper once he finds out we finished the mission!” She remarked.</p><p>“Here, here!” Jasminka cheered merrily as she quickly finished her drink by chugging it down.</p><p>The redhead chuckled. “Really? Jasna, you've got to slow down and enjoy the booze. It's not like it's going to run away from you.” She teased her teammate.</p><p>“Yeah, yeah,” The strong girl muttered dismissively before she cut to the chase. “More importantly, don't you think that we cut it close today?”</p><p>Amanda let out a low hum of acknowledgment. “What do you mean?”</p><p>“Don't play dumb. You know exactly what I mean, Amanda.” Jasminka said seriously.</p><p>“And, I already told you and Cons that I'm trying to test something.” The short-haired tomboy replied calmly, taking a small sip of her drink.</p><p>Surprisingly enough, the pink-haired adventurer accepted that response and Constanze did too considering she gave a simple nod, Akko however...</p><p>“Wait... Testing what? Do you mean me?” The brunette asked while pointing to herself. She soon followed up with another question after that, inquiring, “Was this whole mission some kind of test of courage or something?”</p><p>“Hmm, not exactly. It's more like...” Amanda thought about it for a moment, only to let out a chuckle soon afterward before admitting, “Okay, yes, it was a test. Those thugs that we ran into definitely weren't part of the plan, but having the Boar Clan being our clients certainly was.”</p><p>Akko tilted her head in confusion. “Why?”</p><p>The questions just kept coming from the red-eyed girl, and Constanze along with Jasminka were giving rather hesitant glances toward their leader, who seemed to be taking everything in stride.</p><p>“I wanted to see how'd you react toward magic folk.” The red-haired adventurer finally responded.</p><p>Jasminka's posture visibly stiffened in her chair, eyeing her leader as she spoke with a warning tone, “Amanda-”</p><p>“Relax, Jasna. I know what I'm doing.” Amanda interrupted in order to calm her friend. “Besides, it's not like Akko screamed the word “freak” the whole time we were going through the mission. Let's give her a chance, ya?”</p><p>The strong girl finally sighed in defeat, “Fine. You win.”</p><p>Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the green team, Akko began to nervously play with her hands when she mumbled, “...What about magic folk?”</p><p>“I don't know where you're from, but in case you haven't noticed...” The redhead began before she trailed off, possibly to think of a way to better explain the matter. “People with unique abilities are not exactly well accepted around these parts, or more like anywhere.” She finished saying for lack of better words.</p><p>“How come?”</p><p>“They just aren't.”</p><p>Akko looked bothered by that answer, to the point where she finally stopped playing with her hands and proceeded to shake her leg under the table. “That's hardly fair, don't you think? I mean, why would you want to start something if there really isn't a reason behind the conflict?” She asked exasperatedly.</p><p>“That's the sad, frustrating truth of it all, Akko. Nobody knows.” Amanda gave a retort of her own. “People just can't accept anything that's not part of the norm. That's because they're afraid. Nowadays, folks would rather take action now than face potential harm in the near future.”</p><p>“<em>That's just awful...”</em> The brunette whispered.</p><p>“Yep, fear is one hell of an emotion.” The tomboy sighed, leaning back against her seat to stare up at the ceiling. “Similar to love, fear can also be irrational. As such, humans are capable of doing unspeakable things when they feel threatened.”</p><p>Constanze did a series of hand signs, to which Jasminka helpfully translated by saying, “Not that all humans are bad or anything.” She quickly added, “That's why the LWS exists. The Last Wednesday Society is a small organization that helps those in need. It operates as a safe haven for humans and magical creatures, and as the green team... we usually take a lot of missions and side jobs that are usually illegal and dangerous to the general public.”</p><p>“Why are most of the jobs illegal?” Akko inquired.</p><p>“Those that rule over us consider it as treason against mankind for assisting the unknown. For example, if people were to find out that we helped the Boar Clan today, then they would immediately consider us to be beyond help. They'll say things like, <em>“You sold your soul to the devil!”</em> and <em>“You've become brainwashed!”</em>, not to mention that they'll automatically brand you as a witch.” Amanda exaggerated, despite it being the truth.</p><p>“W-witches?” The red-eyed girl stuttered in fright, but not for the reasons the green team might think.</p><p>“Uh-huh,” The pink-haired adventurer hummed in affirmative. “In remote villages, once they capture you, they'll put you through different torture methods before they put you to death. They all differ depending where you are, but the outcome will still be the same. And in the cities-”</p><p>Amanda cut in with an elaborate explanation, “In cities, like Blytonbury for example, when they capture you they'll take you straight to Appleton for a Witch Trial. It's a place where you have the right to <em>“defend”</em> yourself against your crimes, <em><strong>as if...</strong></em>” She mumbled bitterly, rolling her eyes while she did so.</p><p>Akko swallowed rather heavily, her fingers fiddling with her drink that still remained untouched. “...Then, what's the point of a trial if you really can't defend yourself?”</p><p>“They want to make it look <em>“fair”</em> for the general public, they want to keep them involved to everything that happens in the city, and they do all of that in order to gain their trust.” Jasminka helpfully translated what Constanze was trying to say in sign language, continuing as she said, “People can make their own opinions based on what's going on around them, and by watching the Witch Trials as they happen they will be influenced to come to the conclusion that magic folk are evil and need to be put down.”</p><p>“And if you ever find yourself in Appleton, consider your life to be forfeit. Everyone sitting in that courtroom will be against you. <strong>One. Hundred. Percent.</strong>” The red-haired adventurer warned, tossing back the rest of her booze before she slammed her now empty mug on the table. She let out a heavy sigh before she talked again, “They'll automatically accuse you of doing witchcraft, and they'll ignore every single word that you have to say for your defense. The public won't care. People would do anything to safe their own skin, and it doesn't help that scumbags are taking advantage of these terrible times to pin their crimes on innocent people.”</p><p><strong>None of these things ever happened in my village. I guess I got off lucky... Should I even be glad for that?</strong> Akko wondered.</p><p>The brunette snapped out of her musings when the bartender arrived with a tray full of delicious food. “Here you are, ladies! Hope you enjoy!”</p><p>“Thank you very much~!” Jasminka happily thanked the man on everyone's behalf, clapping her hands in joy.</p><p>“Oi! Akko, you've barely touched your beer. What gives?” Amanda spoke up once the proprietor walked away, noticing that small detail.</p><p>Akko gave a shy smile. “I-I'm not much of a drinker to be honest...” She admitted.</p><p>The tomboy's eyes widened in surprise. “Seriously?”</p><p>“Seriously.”</p><p>Just then Constance began to rapidly tap the table, grabbing everyone's attention as she signed, <em>“I'll drink it if she really doesn't want it.”</em></p><p>Amanda smiled as she slid Akko's mug toward their small companion. “Knock yourself out, Cons!”</p><p>“It's for the best. I'm just glad it won't go to waste.” Akko chuckled.</p><p>“Agreed. Now, let's start eating before the food gets cold!” Jasminka told them.</p><p>From there, their conversation had ended and so Akko along with the green team silently ate their meals. Once they finished, the tavern had grown quite full and ten times noisier as before.</p><p>“I'll be back. I'm going to get us more refills.” Amanda mentioned to them when she got up from her chair.</p><p>The strong girl had rose from her seat as well. “Let me come with you.” She offered, mentioning, “I'm thinking of getting more of that delicious chili again.”</p><p>“More food? Jasna, you really need to slow down.” The tomboy chuckled as the two of them started heading toward the bar.</p><p>Jasminka smiled.“Why slow down when I still have room for more? The night is still young, after all.”</p><p>“So it is.” Amanda agreed.</p><p>It took a while, but the proprietor had finally managed to get their order and give them what they wanted once he finally had time to serve them. Amanda and Jasminka were on their way back to their table when one of the tavern patrons accidentally bumped against the tomboy, causing the beer tray that Amanda had in her hands to spill over her outfit and drenching her with booze...</p><p>“Oh my...” Jasminka mumbled over the calamity that just ensued.</p><p>“<em>Great. This is just <strong>bloody</strong> great...!”</em> Amanda whispered angrily under her breath, purposely dropping the tray of drinks on the floor. Might as well since the damn thing was empty, and it's not like she will get in trouble since the pub itself was full to the brim with people.</p><p>Still pissed off, and rightfully so, the red-haired adventurer turned her attention to the young woman in front of her, grabbing the young lass by the shoulder. “Oi! Watch where you're going! You owe me and my team some drinks, ya hear me?!”</p><p>Being forced to turn around, the girl's hazel eyes widened in recognition as she said, “...Amanda?”</p><p>“...Hannah?” Anger forgotten, Amanda's eyes widened in surprise as well. She took a step back, mumbling to herself for a moment before she spoke up, “H-how have you been? ...It's, it's been a while...”</p><p>“I've been well, or as well as I could be.” Hannah admitted. She then noticed the redhead's soaked clothes, looking rather guilty as she began to apologize, “O-oh, I'm so sorry! Did I do that? Please, let me make it up to you.”</p><p>“No, no, no! Don't worry about it! My clothes will dry, and I can just... buy more drinks.” Amanda chuckled, scratching the back of her neck awkwardly.</p><p>“Are you sure? I still feel bad...”</p><p>“I said that it's okay Han, don't worry about it.”</p><p>While the two redheads were distracted with each other, Jasminka merely stood in the sidelines watching them while she ate her plate of chili, an amused smile making its way up on her face over the spoon in her mouth. “Hmm~hmm...”</p><p>“Hannah, are you alright?” A familiar voice came to their right, coming to a stop once she noticed two members of the green team. “Amanda, Jasminka, it's been a long time. You girls back from another mission, I assume?”</p><p>“Hey, Barbara.” The short-haired tomboy replied in a weak greeting, not that she wasn't happy to see her or anything, but Amanda was in total shock that she was even talking to them in the first place. Clearing her throat, she asked, “So, what are you girls doing here? Girls night out?”</p><p>The raven-haired girl rolled her eyes, huffing, “I wish... It's more like we're drowning our sorrows, mostly for Hannah, she's...”</p><p>“<em><strong>That's enough, Barbara.</strong></em>” The auburn-haired noble hissed out in warning, which promptly made her friend shut up.</p><p>At hearing this, Amanda narrowed her eyes in suspicion. “Oh? Enough of what?”</p><p>“Please Amanda, you don't want to get involved in this.” Hannah pleaded with the tomboy.</p><p>“I'm sorry to break it to you, but I'm already involved.” Amanda lamented to inform, crossing her arms as she began interrogating her, “Especially, since you've been acting weird since we started talking. Usually, you would do a big, dramatic sigh while rolling your eyes and vocally complain about seeing me, and instead you're being all nice and apologetic... Excuse me for saying so, but something's up.”</p><p>“Be that as it may, I <em><strong>do</strong></em> have manners.” The auburn-haired noble countered, her voice holding a bit of fire as she spoke, “And for your sake, I <strong><em>implore</em></strong> you to let this matter go, Amanda.” She begged her once again.</p><p>However, Hannah's pleas went unanswered as Amanda did not seem to get no for an answer.</p><p>The red-haired adventurer stepped forward, grabbing Hannah by the shoulders and looked at her straight in the eye. “Han, what is going on? Are you in some kind of trouble?” She asked.</p><p>Hannah remained silent, avoiding Amanda's gaze entirely.</p><p>The silence was killing the tomboy, and quite frankly Amanda would rather have an angry, screaming Hannah over a quiet one any day. The girl wouldn't even look at her, almost as if she was ashamed of something, but before the redhead could inquire about it...</p><p>“I'm afraid that I'm going to have to ask you to unhand <em><strong>my fiancé.</strong></em>” A new, and yet oh so familiar male voice jumped into the fray.</p><p>Hannah's breath hitched in her throat, her hazel eyes widening so as she escaped Amanda's grasp. She quickly turned around to face the man. “H-hello, love. I certainly didn't expect you to be here of all places...” She said weakly in greeting her future husband.</p><p>“That's because you've forced me to come fetch you out of this rat hole.” The blonde nobleman spoke harshly, an arrogant scowl settling on his noble features. “Honestly... making me, Louis Blackwell, the noble son of the solicitor general, to come search for you on such an unsightly establishment was definitely not part of my agenda today. Consider yourself lucky because if it weren't for our parents' arrangement between our families, I wouldn't have bothered to come here. Trust me.”</p><p>Louis Blackwell was a young man with blue eyes, pale skin, and he had blonde, trimmed hair that was swept sideways on either side of his head. Most people in Blytonbury know him to be an arrogant, malicious man just like his father, Shawn Blackwell, but despite the boy's reputation in town it certainly won't stop him to get what he wants.</p><p>At seeing this pathetic excuse of a man, Amanda couldn't help but laugh. “Are you fucking serious?! Louis Blackwell is your fiancé! Now, THAT'S funny!” She howled hysterically as tears welled up in her eyes, wrapping her arms around herself when her sides started cramping up due to the exertion.</p><p>Louis did not look amused at hearing Amanda's crass humor. “You think this is funny, do you?”</p><p>“Very~!” The short-haired tomboy giggled breathlessly, finally coming down from her high. When she gathered her composure, Amanda looked at Hannah with her usual, casual grin and said, “Okay Han, you totally got me. That joke was very hilarious.”</p><p>Hannah remained silent once again, avoiding the redhead's gaze.</p><p>Confused, Amanda let out a nervous chuckle. “Come on, Han. This is all just a joke, right? A very, terrible prank, right?” Her smile was wiped clean off her face, and she swallowed heavily in order to put out the fire in her throat. “...Han?”</p><p>There was still no answer from Hannah, Barbara, and even Jasminka, who stopped eating at this point, tensed at the sudden serious atmosphere around them.</p><p>Louis, however was not phased as he finally took action by grabbing his fiancé's arm. “Come along, Hannah. We're leaving.”</p><p>“O-okay...” The auburn-haired girl responded quietly while she was being dragged against her will.</p><p>“<em><strong>Let. Her. Go.</strong></em>”</p><p>The blonde nobleman stopped in his tracks along with Hannah, turning around to face the redhead. “Excuse me? Do you know who you're talking to?” He asked, but it was voiced as a threat.</p><p>“<em><strong>Don't make me repeat myself...</strong></em>” Amanda spoke through clenched teeth, balling her hands into fists.</p><p>Louis sneered, trying to reason with her by saying, “Come now, O'Neill. I've done nothing wrong. I'm just being a gentleman by ensuring that my wife-to-be is safely escorted home. Her father would surely worry.”</p><p>“Here's the thing, <em><strong>Blackwell.</strong></em> Even if your so-called “relationship” is true, she sure as hell doesn't look comfortable around you, and that's a fact!” The red-haired adventurer stated.</p><p>“That may be true, but it's not like she has a choice on the matter.” The blonde nobleman said with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders. “It's already been decided. Her fate is sealed.”</p><p>From the other side of the tavern, Ursula straightened up in her seat as she witnessed the commotion from afar.</p><p>“Oh dear, this will not end well...” The blue-haired woman commented to herself. She turned to look at her companion, who was fast asleep on the table, and so Ursula began to shake her awake. “Zsofia. Zsofia, wake up!”</p><p>The shifter's face scrunched up in displeasure, whining as she opened her tired eyes. She slowly lifted her head up from the table to say, “...Wassup, Ursie~?”</p><p>“By the nine, are you drunk?” Ursula questioned as she cupped Zsofia's cheeks with her hands. Asking was pretty much pointless because it was plain as day to notice her friend's flushed cheeks.</p><p>Zsofia hiccuped, giggling, “...Mooybe~.”</p><p>“Not good.” The blue-haired adventurer sighed in distress, gently settling her friend's head back down to her folded arms again. She trailed her fingers through the shifter's hair, hoping that the motion would make her go back to sleep. “Nevermind Zsofia, I think I can take over from here.” She reassured.</p><p>Instead of being lulled to sleep, the green-haired woman swatted Ursula's hand away. “No, no, no! I, um, uake, wass guing on?” She slurred, following Ursula's line of sight to the commotion. “...issh hat, a ight?”</p><p>Ursula started to look nervous. “Um, Zsofia, I really don't think that you should get involved...”</p><p>“Locks...ike...fun, me join!”</p><p>“What?! No, that's a bad idea! Zsofia, where do you think you're going?! Oh no...!”</p><p>Seemingly helpless to convince her companion to sit down, Ursula sighed in defeat and remained in her seat, staying vigilant in case things turn out for the worse. Meanwhile, the shifter managed to maneuver through the crowd on unsteady feet and headed toward the soon-to-be uproar...</p><p>“Hay~!” Zsofia spoke excitedly in greeting, hugging the angry redhead from behind. “Wass all de hubbub bout?” She slurred for everyone to hear.</p><p>Rage had momentarily dissipated as Amanda quickly turned her head to the side in order to save her nose from the invasion, not that it helped much. She made a weird face while she brought a hand up to plug her nose and complained, “Bloody hell! You reek of booze more than I do, if that's even possible!”</p><p>The green-haired woman pouted. “Hay new, hat's berry rude!” She then let her eyes wander to the engaged couple and she growled at the unsightly sight before her.</p><p>“Whoa, Zsofia, please stop with the motorboat. I don't like where this is going...” The tomboy mumbled, her body going visibly stiff in the woman's arms.</p><p>“<em>Is this how you're going to let things go, Amanda?”</em> Zsofia whispered, suddenly sober and alert.</p><p>Amanda's eyes widened at hearing the sudden shift in Zsofia's tone. <em>“What?”</em></p><p>“<em>Are you just going to sit back and let this towheaded noble walk away with someone that's clearly precious to you?”</em></p><p>“<em>I-I...”</em></p><p>“<em>You weren't lying you know, you were right on the money. She doesn't like this arrangement as much as you do.”</em></p><p>“<em>But... he said that everything has been-”</em></p><p>“<em>Decided? It may be in motion, but it's not set in stone yet.”</em> The shifter reminded an important fact of the situation at hand. <em>“<strong>There's still time.</strong>”</em></p><p>“<em>Okay, I am so confused. Are you stopping me or encouraging me to get into a fight?”</em> Amanda asked, keeping her eyes on Hannah the entire time.</p><p>Zsofia thought about her answer for a moment, ultimately sighing when she finally released her hold on the tomboy.<em> “Yes, I should be stopping you from making the worst possible decision in your life, especially since this little fiasco can bring the LWS trouble due to your association, but that's entirely up to you. You're your own person Amanda, and who I am to tell you not to fight for what you care about?”</em></p><p>Amanda let the shifter's words sink in, heavily weighing her options. On one hand, she could beat the living daylights out of Louis Blackwell, but on the other... There <em><strong>will</strong></em> be severe repercussions for her actions. Not only that, but the LWS Guild will also suffer due to her association with them and it will certainly not look good on improving matters between humans and magical creatures in the long run.</p><p>And so, with a heavy heart, the tomboy decided to let the matter go. Or, that's what she would like to do, but what happened next definitely made her blood boil in pure rage...</p><p>Hannah winced at the sudden grip on her arm, exclaiming, “Ow, Louis! Don't pull so hard, you're hurting me!”</p><p>“Well, I wouldn't have to if you would stop standing around like a buffoon! Now, let's go! I'm ready to get out of this rat hole-”</p><p>“Hey, <em><strong>Blackwell.</strong></em>”</p><p>One moment the blonde noble felt a tap on his shoulder, and when he turned his head... WHAM!</p><p>Amanda didn't hesitate to give him a shiner on his right eye. Louis let out a loud yelp, letting go of Hannah's arm as he brought his hands up to cover his injury. The next thing he felt was a powerful kick to his gut, which knocked the wind out of him, and Louis numbly stumbled backwards until he bumped into one of the bar patrons.</p><p>This bar patron already had a bit too much to drink tonight and so obviously he wasn't too happy to have been pushed, grumbling as he took a generous fistful of Louis' jacket and pushed him away. “Hey, watch it!”</p><p>And unfortunately for the nobleman, this time he stumbled upon Jasminka and the small collision caused the two of them to fall to the ground, along with some food...</p><p>“...Bloody hell!” Louis groaned as he collected his breath, having his right hand cover his right eye while the other was on his stomach.</p><p>And before he could even try to get up on his feet...</p><p>“That. Was. A. Waste. Of. Good. CHILI!”</p><p>For the second time tonight, the blonde man let out another yelp, but this time it came out more like a pathetic whimper as his right arm was taken captive and the next thing Louis knew... he was lifted up in the air for a brief moment, and then he came crashing down onto one of the tavern tables, the furniture obviously breaking under him due to the force.</p><p>The instant Louis felt his back slam against hard wood a loud, audible pop on his right shoulder made him scream from the top of his lungs because of the sudden intense pain that followed soon afterward.</p><p>Louis' yelling could be heard throughout the entire pub, disrupting the atmosphere as silence struck the building.</p><p>The one that managed to react to the commotion was the bartender, who quickly maneuvered behind the bar counter to go stop the commotion as he hollered, “Hey, break it up right now! I don't want any fights in my tavern!”</p><p>However, Jasminka wasn't quite done yet as she finally swung Louis around like a ragdoll towards the bar, and evidently the proprietor of the establishment got knocked over by a flying noble, the back of the man's head bashing against the bar counter as he fell down to the ground.</p><p>The bartender was down and out for the count, and Louis followed right behind him as the blonde's battered body collided with the large shelve that was full with a variety of drinks, some of them crashing down and drenching Louis with different kinds of booze and wines which no doubt ruined his suit...</p><p>After Amanda's and Jasminka's show of dominance was over, the building turned into absolute pandemonium as most of the patrons went into a frenzy. They took the liberty of heading towards the bar to try and get their hands on as many drinks as possible since there was no supervision, but in doing so, the majority of them started fighting one another and soon enough the entire place became a free-for-all bar brawl.</p><p>Before things got too messy for their liking, Barbara grabbed hold of Hannah's hand and dragged her out of the pub. Amanda and Jasminka were pretty much part of the brawl since they were pretty much out of their minds and needed to let out some steam, and finally Akko and Constanze had ducked for cover under their table since they were too scared to move out of their save zone.</p><p><strong>Ugh... If I knew that things were going to turn out this way, I would've stayed at the manor!</strong> The brunette thought irritably, desperately wanting to be anywhere else but here at the moment. <strong>Hmm... What the-</strong></p><p>Just as she thought that, Akko could've sworn that she saw a cat and a wolf exiting the back of the pub, but she wasn't really sure because of all the mess of limbs as a couple of fighting patrons drifted to the back of the establishment during the commotion, obscuring her view of not only the weird animals but also a potential exit out of this chaos. Sneaking through the back would be near impossible by this point...</p><p>Before the red-eyed girl could contemplate any further, Constanze pulled at her sleeve to catch her attention.</p><p>“Please don't tell me that we're joining the fight. I had enough adventure for one day...” Akko practically begged her, even going as far as to whimper.</p><p>Luckily, the small adventurer shook her head in response. She grumbled while she pointed to the front entrance, and to further emphasize their escape route she pointed to a generous amount of tables that led a path to the entrance.</p><p>“Constanze, you're a genius!” The brunette praised, already crawling under the tables as she lead the path towards their freedom. “Let's get out of here!”</p><p>Unfortunately, things are never this simple...</p><p>As soon as Akko and Constanze finally made their way outside of the tavern, the girls were immediately surrounded by the city guards.</p><p>“Don't move!” The captain of this squadron yelled at them.</p><p>Both adventurers stopped in their tracks and slowly brought their hands up in surrender, and the guards didn't waste any time in apprehending them, tying ropes around their wrists as well as confiscating their weapons.</p><p>“Ouch!” The red-eyed girl winced when the officer pulled a bit too tightly on her restraints. “Not so tight! Can you please loosen them up just a bit?” She asked.</p><p>“And have you escape, not on my watch!” Said the captain, kicking Akko at the back of her knees to force her to kneel on the ground. He then proceeded to do the same thing to Constanze. “You two are under arrest for robbery, vandalism and disruption of peace, and so will the others inside the tavern.” He informed them, signaling his men to infiltrate the chaotic pub.</p><p>“WHAT?!” Akko screeched in outrage over what she just heard. “We aren't even part of the bar fight! My friend and I were just trying to get out of it unscathed-”</p><p>The rest of Akko's explanation died on her lips since she received a hard, swift backhand slap to the face, his heavy signet ring no doubt breaking skin as the force of it caused Akko to be knocked down.</p><p>The brunette coughed a bit to gather her bearings, spitting out a bit of blood due to accidentally biting the inside of her cheek. She definitely wouldn't be surprised if she got a bruise later.</p><p>“Save your excuses for when you get to Appleton.”</p><p>Akko's eyes widened in horror, remembering Amanda's words concerning the place. “A-Appleton? Oh, come on! We didn't even do anything of what you accused us for! You can't just-”</p><p>“I said, shut up!” The captain yelled as he delivered a swift kick to the girl's stomach.</p><p>The red-eyed girl gasped when she felt the air being knocked out of her lungs and she heaved in an effort to desperately catch her breath. <em>“...A-arrest...innocent...people...”</em></p><p>The guard seemed to be getting more and more irritated whenever Akko spoke, already at his wits end as he was prepared subdue the teen yet again...</p><p>“...Op it!”</p><p>The man stopped just as he was about to deliver another blow to the brunette. He turned to look at Constanze, who was giving him the most harsh, intimidating glare she could muster. “What did you just say?” He asked, daring her to speak again.</p><p>The blue-haired adventurer swallowed heavily, briefly licking her lips as she said, “Op it. Op urting her...”</p><p><strong>She... she can talk?</strong> Akko thought to herself in surprise, not believing her own ears but it was indeed Constanze's voice. Her voice was small, soft, and muddled, to which made Akko come to the conclusion that Constanze's speech was affected somehow. By what, she wasn't sure, but you really had to be silent in order to hear the small girl talk that's for sure.</p><p>The captain sneered, and that sneer alone made Akko's skin crawl with goosebumps and at the same time she felt burning rage swelling inside of her as he spoke, “Alright, I'll stop. Just be sure to teach your friend to stay silent, if you catch my drift. <strong><em>It'll save her a lifetime of vocalization...</em></strong>”</p><p>After the guard finished saying those last words, he notified one of his subordinates to keep an eye on them before he finally went inside the tavern to check on his men.</p><p>“<em>Geez, what the hell is his problem?”</em> Akko whispered irritably, finally managing to lift herself up on her knees. That simple task was much harder with her wrists being tied behind her back, but she managed somehow. The brunette then looked at her small companion, who hung her head while she mindlessly stared at the ground. “Thank you, Constanze. I appreciate that you stood up for me against that jerk.”</p><p>The blue-haired adventurer nodded slowly, muttering, “...He's...a...vastard.”</p><p>“Yeah, he is...” Akko sighed in agreement, looking up at the night sky, which was littered with stars as far as the eye could see. It was a beautiful night. What the red-eyed girl wouldn't give to spend it by Diana's side to go on a stroll together, speaking of which...</p><p><strong>I wonder how she's doing...</strong> The brunette briefly wondered, sighing longingly.</p><hr/><p>It took three long days, but Diana had finally managed to take care of her medical responsibilities. She and Carter were finally heading back home to Wedinburgh, and deep down the heiress was brimming with excitement since she can hardly wait to see Akko again, but most of all Diana is looking forward to their promised outing. It would it be their first excursion outside of the Cavendish property and the blonde wanted to make sure that Akko had fun, but it will all happen in good time...</p><p>At the moment Diana's mind was currently somewhere else as she sat inside the carriage, her arm prompted against the cart's window while looking at the moving scenery with a small, warm smile on her face. Ever since she had left the manor, Diana had been fantasizing about her return to Akko. Imagining the brunette's smile, her laugh, her warm hugs, just anything that would sent her heart aflutter.</p><p>Sadly, her daydreaming would have to wait...</p><p>“Carter, stop the carriage!”</p><p>The butler did as requested as he pulled on the reigns to halt the horses. Diana stuck her head out the carriage's window and called out, “Hannah? Barbara? What are you two doing out here so late into the evening?” She questioned them.</p><p>It was indeed her childhood friends. They were on the side of the road, running away from something or someone, but they surprisingly stopped in their tracks once they heard Diana's voice. Both teenagers were quite frazzled at being called out, not to mention that they looked like a complete mess. Hannah's and Barbara's hair was disheveled, their clothes were all crumpled, and their eyes were wide in fear as they approached the carriage.</p><p>“D-Diana, is that really you?” Barbara asked, totally in shock at seeing the heiress. But she didn't wait for Diana to say something since she continued to talk, “Thank goodness! Y-you really need to go with us!” She said urgently.</p><p>The blonde was at a complete loss on what was going on. “Go where? What is going on?”</p><p>“We'll explain on the way, but right now we really need to go to Blytonbury!” Hannah told her, not wasting any time as she opened the carriage door and ushered Barbara inside.</p><p><strong>I suppose I'll be home later than I would like...</strong> The young Cavendish thought in disappointment, feeling a bit guilty that she would have to make Akko wait just a bit longer. But her friends needed her help right now, and what kind of friend would she be if she turned them down in their time of need?</p><p>And so, from there Diana ordered Carter to drive the carriage towards Blytonbury.</p><p>Once they got there, Diana didn't know what to think. The town itself was like any other day, but when they arrived to a certain street... it was chaos. There was a total lock down since the city guardsmen were involved.</p><p>The officers were currently in the process of apprehending a good amount of people from a local pub, leading them outside one by one and made them line up next to other restrained patrons by forcing them to kneel on the ground and not far from them, Diana spotted a certain brunette...</p><p>“Akko?” The heiress spoke up in disbelieve, her eyes widening in shock at seeing her there with all those people.</p><p>Hannah and Barbara looked confused when they heard that name and as they tried to get her attention, Diana merely ignored them as her body seemed to move on its own and the young Cavendish didn't waste any time going over the fence the guards put up in order to prevent citizens from interfering and ran over to the scene.</p><p>Diana was soon stopped by a guard, “I'm sorry ma'am, but you can't just-” and almost immediately recognition lit up in his eyes, “M-miss Cavendish! What brings you here?” He asked.</p><p><strong>I don't have time for this...!</strong> The blonde thought frustratingly, but she kept her emotions in check as she replied, “I was informed that there has been a disturbance in one of the local pubs and that some people were injured during the incident.”</p><p>“Yes, there are people that need medical attention. The proprietor and Mr. Blackwell being among the injured to name a few.” The officer confirmed.</p><p>“Mr. Blackwell?” Diana repeated, absolutely surprised and a bit frightened to hear that name. “As in-”</p><p>“My son.” Came a familiar, rough male voice that belonged to the solicitor general himself.</p><p>Shawn Blackwell was an adult man with dark blonde hair and a mustache, green eyes that denote dark circles under them, and a pronounced chin. He wore a grayish-black tuxedo suit over a white shirt and a tie board.</p><p>Most of the citizens around these parts know the general was an aggressive and ill-tempered man. His belligerent attitudes toward other cities as solicitor general are reflected in the bellicose rhetoric he uses concerning the Witch Trials against a foreign country, promising to crush their nation in politics as they will in Witch Trials.</p><p>His violent position reaches the point of restraining anyone he considers to have odd behaviors for the crime of witchcraft. Mr. Blackwell loathes magical creatures outright since he personally thinks that they're a menace to society and he instilled his antagonism into his son.</p><p>Diana swallowed rather heavily when she gathered her composure, asking, “I'm sorry to hear that. May I ask what happened?”</p><p>“Wouldn't you like to know?” Mr. Blackwell responded sarcastically with a roll of his eyes, clearly not pleased. “My boy, <em><strong>my son,</strong></em> was assaulted tonight by a couple of wenches!” He was absolutely livid, giving off an intimidating aura as he pointed to a young recruit. “You! Bring them to me. NOW!”</p><p>“Y-yes, sir!”</p><p>The young guard scampered out of there, quickly heading inside the vandalized pub before returning with the criminals with another guard helping him escort them in tow, and Diana couldn't believe her eyes...</p><p><strong>Of course, it had to be them...</strong> The heiress thought irritably, sighing heavily through her nose.</p><p>“Oi! Get your grimy hands off me! I have rights!”</p><p>“Tsk. We may have roughed him up a bit, but we definitely didn't mean to cause an uproar on the joint...”</p><p>A pissed off Amanda O'Neill along with the now, mellow Jasminka Antonenko were brought before them, the guards forcing them to kneel on the cobblestone street.</p><p>The redhead groaned at the stinging pain she felt on her knees, growling angrily as she was prepared to give a very wise choice of words to the guard who manhandled her, until she finally raised her head and noticed Diana... “Oh shit...”</p><p>“H-hello Diana, it's good to see that you're back in town...” The strong girl said sheepishly in greeting, giving a weak laugh.</p><p>Shawn Blackwell huffed and said, “Typical.” He then turned to look at the young Cavendish, inquiring, “I assume that you're acquainted with these ruffians, correct?”</p><p>“Yes, I am.” Diana gave a straight answer.</p><p>“Heaven almighty, do I have a story to tell to your aunt? Yes, I do.” The general sneered, clapping slowly with each word he spoke as if he was amused by that answer.</p><p><strong>Well, there goes my night as well as my peace for the next couple of days. I'll definitely won't hear the end of it this time...</strong> The blonde thought miserably, her shoulders slumping in obvious defeat. “What are the charges?”</p><p>“It's quite a list, I assure you. These brats are under arrest for robbery, vandalism, disruption of peace, and let's not forget aggravated assault against my son!” Mr. Blackwell listed off their offenses.</p><p>“I won't deny any of those accusations, however, I will speak against robbery. We didn't steal a thing in that pub.” Jasminka spoke up calmly before a small scowl settled on her features. “If anyone was robbed, it was me. That was a waste of good chili...” She choked back a sob on the last part of her sentence. “You can't waste good food like that, <strong><em>you just don't...</em></strong>”</p><p>“Not counting the chili dilemma, I will also speak against robbery because I didn't steal shit! My heart was stolen, and not in a good way! By the way, your son is an asshole!” Amanda yelled adamantly to the general, glaring at him the entire time she said this.</p><p>Then, almost without warning, Mr. Blackwell's hand lashes out, catching the tomboy across the cheek.</p><p>Both Diana and Jasminka stiffened and stared, wide-eyed as Amanda fell to the ground from the impact. Before anyone could try to move, the general loomed over the redhead and stomped her face with his shoe, putting force but not enough to kill her on the spot...</p><p>“Do you <strong><em>know</em></strong> who I am? I am Shawn Blackwell, I am this city's solicitor general, and it is <strong><em>MY</em></strong> job to apprehend insufferable, incorrigible, scumbags like you! You will <strong><em>rue</em></strong> the day you double-cross me girly, and you can rest assured that you'll be locked away for a long, long time!” The general gave an adamant speech of his own, adding a bit more force as he purposely shuffled his shoe on the teenager's face. “Or, better yet, I think an execution is in order... Right here, right now.”</p><p>Despite the horrible situation she was in Amanda gave a long, insane, hearty laugh. Her head, her face, and her battered body were practically screaming in agony, and yet she was laughing about it all. However, there was no humor behind it. Her amusement was quite the opposite really. It was hollow, sad, and dare it be... relief?</p><p>After what seemed like an eternity, the tomboy finally calmed down enough and said, “An execution, huh? In front of all these people? That's funny. In fact, I welcome it!” She gave another breathy chuckle, sounding serious soon afterward. <em>“</em><strong><em>Go ahead. You'd be doing me a HUGE favor!</em></strong><em>”</em></p><p>Much to everyone's surprise, Shawn Blackwell looked truly disturbed by this sudden development. His anger faltered, almost disappearing completely as he questioned the girl by saying, “Are you some kind of psycho?”</p><p>“Aw, what's wrong? Did you lose your balls?” Amanda taunted with another chuckle tumbling from her lips, completely ignoring the man's question as her legs were swinging nonchalantly in obvious impatience. “I gave you permission, didn't I? All you have to do is crush my skull like a damn, useless egg and hear that sweet, sickening crunch for a job well done! You said so yourself, right? I'm scum, I'm insignificant. My brain will be nothing more like gum stuck on the underside of your shoe, and all you have to do is scrape it off <strong><em>real</em></strong> good once you set foot on that welcome mat when you get home! Come on, what are you waiting for? I don't have all night!”</p><p>In an instant, anger flashed back into Shawn's eyes, grumbling, “...Why you little-”</p><p>“Mr. Blackwell!”</p><p>“<em><strong>WHAT?!</strong>”</em> The general hissed out when he turned his head to look at the heiress, his demeanor clearly showing that he has run out of patience by this point.</p><p>“Please. Have mercy on her. She's... she's very sick.” Diana told him, going as far to be on her hands and knees in front of everyone present to show how serious she was about her plead.</p><p>Unsurprisingly, Mr. Blackwell looked skeptical at hearing such a claim. “Sick? You've got to be kidding me... This brat is suicidal at best.”</p><p>“It's true, sir.” Jasminka spoke up solemnly for the first time in a while, vouching for the heiress. “My friend she... She may look fine on the surface, but I assure you that she's very troubled. Mentally and emotionally.”</p><p>Amanda opened her mouth, probably to say something to refute their claims, but Diana didn't let her. “Unless there's a genuine apology on what you're going to say, I don't want to hear it.”</p><p>Taking Diana's stern warning to heart, the redhead sealed her lips, closing her eyes as she sighed heavily through her nose.</p><p>Having Amanda's silence as her cue, the blonde looked up at the nobleman and began to set things right. “I, Diana Cavendish, will take full responsibility and ensure to take care of all of the damages as well as anyone who was injured during the incident tonight. All I ask in return is that you please release my friends and everyone else that are in your custody.”</p><p>A heavy silence hung over the tense atmosphere, and after what seemed like an eternity, Mr. Blackwell sighed as he closed his eyes and brought a hand up to scratch the back of his head.</p><p>“The Cavendish Family never seizes to amaze me...” The man grumbled under his breath, finally stepping off of Amanda as he turned to face the row of restrained citizens. “You all better thank your lucky stars for Miss Cavendish's kindness for bailing you out! Think of this opportunity as a warning because I assure you that there won't be a next time!” He yelled for all to hear, “Men, release the prisoners!”</p><p>Upon command, the guards did as requested and started to free the restrained citizens.</p><p>While his men worked, Shawn Blackwell turned to look at the young Cavendish. “Seeing as you have your hands full...” He mentioned, giving a brief glance toward Amanda and Jasminka before continuing, “I shall take my leave. I'll be waiting with my son inside the tavern...”</p><p>Diana got back up on her feet, nodding in understanding. “Yes. Thank you, Mr. Blackwell.”</p><p>The blonde man merely grumbled as he finally left the premises, and most of the citizens didn't waste any time scampering out of there once they were freed.</p><p>After they were untied Amanda, Jasminka along with Constanze and Akko, who were rubbing their sore wrists since they were restrained the longest grouped up near the heiress, who has yet to say anything to them...</p><p>Out of everyone, Amanda was the one who dared to speak, “Listen Cav, I...”</p><p>“I said it before and I will say it again: <em><strong>Unless there's a genuine apology in what you're going to say, I don't want to hear it.</strong></em>” Diana interrupted her, obviously not too pleased over the events that had transpired tonight. She then turned to look at the one person she was looking forward to seeing the most, only for her blood to boil in anger once she noticed Akko's swollen and bloody cheek...</p><p>The brunette shivered under her gaze, probably in fear of being scolded, but surprisingly that wasn't the case...</p><p>The heiress had approached her, gently grabbing Akko's chin and tilting her head to the side to inspect the tender injury.</p><p>Once she was done, Diana sighed, “Are there any other injuries I should know about?” She asked, her voice surprisingly soft as she spoke.</p><p>“No...” Akko quietly answered her.</p><p>Seemingly satisfied with that answer, the young Cavendish looked at the green team. Amanda and Jasminka also seem to have scrapes and bruises, but otherwise they were fine. Constanze was the only one who didn't receive injuries of any kind.</p><p>Scrapes and bruises were really easy to take care of, and so the only ones that Diana needed to focus on was the proprietor of the pub along with Louis Blackwell...</p><p>“I'm going to go inside the tavern and take care of the injured.” The blonde told them. “You will all wait here and do absolutely <em><strong>nothing,</strong></em> are we clear?”</p><p>The redhead rolled her eyes and dared to run her mouth by saying, “Geez Cav, you're acting like we're going to start trouble again in five minutes.”</p><p>“You might as well might for all I know!” Diana practically exploded, marching up to Amanda. She put her hands on her hips as she continued her banter, “I've been gone for three days, only to come back and hear from Hannah and Barbara that you girls got into trouble with the law!”</p><p>“Oh, so THAT'S how you found out.”</p><p>“Yes! I only asked for one thing Amanda, <em><strong>one thing!</strong></em> Not to cause trouble, and what do you do? You do the exact opposite!”</p><p>“Damn Cav, I was just trying to-”</p><p>“Shut it! I'll be happy to hear your side of the story tomorrow because right now, I have patients to see!”</p><p>And just like that, Diana Cavendish stormed off to the Cavendish carriage to gather her medical supplies, leaving Akko and the green team by themselves.</p><p>Amanda growled angrily, grumbling something under her breath as she started to walk off down the street.</p><p>“Amanda, where are you going?” The red-eyed girl called out to her.</p><p>“Out.”</p><p>“But, Diana said-”</p><p>The tomboy stopped in her tracks, turning around to yell, “I don't give a rat's ass what that bitch thinks! She's not the boss of me!”</p><p>Akko's not going to lie. She perked up when she heard Amanda insult her savior, but she understood that the redhead was pissed off over what happened so she managed to keep her cool. “Amanda, come on, that's not fair. Diana just saved us from going to prison, you can't just-”</p><p>“And, the loyal puppy speaks up to protect her owner. How cute!” The red-haired adventurer taunted, doing a fake coo in emphasis while she stuffed her hands into her pockets.</p><p>“Look, I get that you're angry and all, but that's still no reason to be a bitch to other people.” Akko told her as calmly as possible. She knew what Amanda was doing. The redhead was trying to make her lose her temper, but Akko won't let her.</p><p>That was until Amanda said, “And look at this, the little puppy has a bit of a bite to her too. Since you're the sensible one, do me a favor: Next time your owner decides to lash out, put her on a leash.”</p><p>“<strong>THAT'S IT!</strong>”</p><p>Before anybody could react, Akko had lunged at the tomboy, tackling her to the ground and actually managed to get a couple punches in until strong arms got a hold of her and pulled her away from Amanda.</p><p>“That's enough! Both of you!” Jasminka spoke in disapproval, and she then glared at the short-haired adventurer. “As for you Amanda, I've seen you get mad and act childish before, but this is the lowest of the low.”</p><p>“Tsk. Whatever...” Amanda mumbled when she wiped the blood off her chin, pushing Constanze away since she didn't want any help getting back up on her feet.</p><p>Soon after that, the tomboy walked off...</p><p>“That girl is a real piece of work...” A female voice commented with a sigh.</p><p>“Yeah, tell me about it.” Another voice said in agreement.</p><p>Akko and the remaining members of the green team turned around to look at the newcomers.</p><p>“Not that I'm not happy to see you girls, but I'm surprised that the two of you are still here.” Jasminka commented to the nobles.</p><p>“Yes, well... We obviously couldn't leave things the way they were. If you girls got arrested and got sent to Appleton, then that will be that, if that horrible man gets his way...” Hannah admitted, letting out a shaky sigh while she rubbed her arm.</p><p>“Though, from the looks of things, it seems that we did more harm than good.” Barbara said guiltily, having her head hung in shame. “In the end, we got Diana in trouble...”</p><p>“<em>We should still thank you for saving us.”</em> Constanze signed with a small smile. She then mustered up the courage to say, “...T'hank you.”</p><p>“Exactly. Besides, you couldn't have known. Things could've been a lot worse...” Akko told them, trying to be optimistic about everything that happened. “I just wish I could do something to help Diana...”</p><p>“Speaking of which, how DO you know Diana?” Hannah interrogated her, looking at the brunette suspiciously.</p><p>“Yeah, Diana mentioned a name before so... I'm assuming that your name is Akko, correct?” Barbara asked her.</p><p>The red-eyed girl looked pleasantly surprised, her cheeks being dusted with a small blush when she heard that Diana mentioned her. “Y-yes, it is.”</p><hr/><p>With the exception of Amanda, the other girls stayed in place as Diana had requested them to do. Akko got herself acquainted with Hannah and Barbara, and afterwards the girls simply chatted to pass the time until Diana finished tending to her patients.</p><p>Once the young Cavendish was done, everyone went their separate ways with Hannah begrudgingly leaving with the Blackwells upon Louis' insistence, Jasminka and Constanze volunteered in taking Barbara home, Amanda was still missing but she will eventually come around on her own, and so that left Akko and Diana...</p><p>The two of them were inside the carriage while Carter drove them home. It was a bit awkward to say the least, not to mention silent. The heiress practically zoned out as she stared out the carriage's window, having a scowl on her face all the while.</p><p>Akko could hardly blame her. Diana's night was pretty much ruined thanks to the fiasco at the tavern, and she will no doubt face a rough couple of days with her aunt and cousins once they hear what happened tonight.</p><p>The young doctor's eventual return was supposed to be filled with warm hugs and smiles, but it was all a huge mess instead.</p><p>Even though she wasn't the main offender during the chaos, the brunette couldn't help but feel guilty for being a part of it anyway. She sighed softly while nervously fiddling with her fingers, stealing a glance to look at her savior every now and then. Sadly, Diana has yet to move a muscle.</p><p>Seeing as there was no change to the blonde's demeanor, Akko was about to admit defeat until she felt a warm hand enclose on her own...</p><p>Akko felt her ears burn when she stared at their intertwined hands. The brunette slowly looked up at her savior, who was blushing in embarrassment as she tried her best to keep her attention at the moving landscape outside the window, but of course she was failing miserably.</p><p>Akko felt a smile work its way up on her face, scooting a bit closer as she laid her head on Diana's shoulder. The red-eyed girl felt Diana's posture go stiff for a moment before she finally relaxed again, and after a moment Akko said, “I really missed you, Diana.”</p><p>There was no response at first, until the young doctor let out a tired sigh while she laid her head on top of Akko's, gently tightening the hold in her hand and replied, “I missed you too, Akko.”</p><p>Their night along with their reunion might not have been perfect, but as long as they were together and supported each other, they know that everything will be alright.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A/N2: And~, that's it for chapter 10! What an adventure, am I right? Hooray! Alright then, what's next... Notes!</p><p>Number 1 – In case you're all wondering why the girls are drinking: Before the mid to late 1800s, there was no minimum drinking age anywhere in the country. What little information that is available shows that Wisconsin passed the first such ordinance in 1839, which prevented the sale of wine or liquor to anyone under the age of 18 unless they had a parent's consent. And I previously stated on chapter 1 that this particular AU roughly takes place during the 15-18 century, and I kind of want to say that we're relatively in the middle of that timeline so... Yes, they're allowed to drink.</p><p>Number 2 – This is my very first attempt at doing world building outside of the Cavendish Manor and hopefully I managed to make things interesting with the function of Appleton being used as a court house for the Witch Trials, the Last Wednesday Society functioning as an adventurer guild that tries to mediate matters between humans and magical creatures in secret, and finally, briefly introducing the Boar Clan as the first magical creature community that we see in this story.</p><p>Number 3 – Speaking of the Boar Clan, this will not be the only time that we'll see them. In fact there are two more clans: The Farkas (Wolf) Clan and the Medve (Bear) Clan, are the other two magical communities that we will see on future chapters. I can't reveal too much for obvious reasons, but the short summary is that all three clans are comprised of Berserkers that can shift into one of those three respective animals during the midst of battle in Norse mythology. And as you read through the chapter, you guys already know that the Boar Clan can't stand humans but they begrudgingly have to depend on them via the LWS in order survive at some points.</p><p>Number 4 – I officially gave the name Barnat to the LWS proprietor and the woman who was with him is Zsofia Farkas, who's not only Barnat's wife but also an OC of mine. In this AU they're magical creatures (Yes, the two of them are part of the clans. Zsofia belongs to the Farkas Clan while Barnat belongs to the Medve Clan), and they will appear every now and then acting as allies for Akko and the others throughout the story. That's pretty much what I'll share about them for now.</p><p>Number 5 – The cargo that Akko and the green team were delivering in this chapter is called Glamour. The item itself is a reference to Wolf Among Us, and the function for it is pretty much the same as in the actual game. The Boar Clan needed the Glamour in order to disguise themselves as humans in order to pass the borders of a city, or wherever else that's high on security with humans really.</p><p>Number 6 – Surprise, surprise... Ursula Callistis does not recall ever meeting Akko, but of course Akko insists that they have met before. Please keep in mind that what happened near the end of chapter 6 was a vision of sorts for their supposed “meeting”. Not counting that, the truth of the matter is that they did meet each other once before, but of course neither of them remember the specifics of their meeting, which was ten years ago... Anime wise, we already know what happened in the series ten years ago. For this story, their meeting ten years ago was a whole different matter entirely, which will be explored on a future chapter.</p><p>Number 7 – Do you guys remember how Diana described her meeting with the green team on the last chapter? One of them was injured and sick, the other was feeble and suffered from malnutrition, and the third didn't sustain any physical injuries but emotionally they are there. Reading this chapter reveals that Constanze suffered a permanent injury on her tongue – Which is why she can actually speak, but clearly not very well. That's why she prefers to communicate in sign language.</p><p>Jasminka is the one who was feeble and suffered from malnutrition – Which explains why she overreacted when her bowl of chili spilled on the floor, plus eating is pretty much part of her character so that was super easy to figure out. And finally, Amanda is the one who is suffering emotionally as well as mentally since she turned into a suicidal bitch near the end of this chapter. Hopefully, these three little facts will be interesting for you guys since this will basically be hints/start-ups for the green team in terms of their backgrounds for this AU, which will be explored later on.</p><p>And, that's pretty much it in terms of notes for this chapter. Next time for chapter 11, we will finally see the aftermath for this chapter along with some amends for some of the characters. Please keep the kudos and bookmarks going, and don't be afraid to leave me comments! I would like to know what you guys think! Until next time! XD</p>
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